Left 4 Moe A KOn! Zombie Apocalypse
by gates40K
Summary: The zombie apocalypse sweeps through Japan. Do the girls of Houkago Tea Time have what it takes to survive in a world infested with zombies, and escape with their lives? Or: What's an answer to K-ON! plus Left 4 Dead?
1. Prologue

**The Countdown:**  
><em>What's running out are their lives.<em>

"Looks like we're going to be in the United States for a while longer," Ui Hirasawa heard her father say on the phone. She smiled, things like this happened often at the Hirasawa household.

"And why will you be late this time, Dad?"

"Ever heard of the Midnight Riders?"

Ui had to think about that one. The name didn't sound like one of the bands Yui had started listening to since joining Sakuragaoka High's Light Music Club.

"I'm a half-ton son of a gun, with a suitcase full of pistols and moneeeey," Mister Hirasawa sang helpfully. Ui snapped her fingers.

"Oh yes! I hear you and Mom put that on sometimes when you're home and Yui isn't ... but what's this got to do with you two being home late?"

"Well, your mother's a huge fan of the Midnight Riders, and they're going to play a show in a town called Florence ... and ... well, we thought we'd catch the show. Go to a _real_ American fairground."

"Ooooh, Onee-chan is gonna be sooo jealous, Dad," Ui replied.

"I've got Obon blocked off next summer," Mister Hirasawa said. "Tell you what ... we'll all go to a Bon Festival ... it'll be a good time!"

"Promise, Dad?"

"I promise."

Ui smiled. "That's that, then. You two have fun!"

"Will do, Ui-chan. Give Yui-chan our love for us, okay?"

"Will do, Dad!"

"We'll see you kids soon. Keep Yui-chan out of trouble for us. Love you! Bye now!"

"Love you too, Dad. Bye-bye!"

Ui set the phone back on its cradle. She looked up at the clock ... it was time to wake up Yui.

* * *

><p>"It's just about that time of year again," the newsman said. Yui watched the news through half-lidded eyes as she nibbled a piece of toast with fruit jam. "That's right. Flu season ... which has gotten off to a surprisingly early, and noteworthy, start."<p>

"The flu, huh?" Yui said_, _taking another bite.

"In the United States, a particularly virulent strain has been turning up in doctors' offices and hospitals in the East Coast region. While Japanese officials do not yet have a comment on the issue, it is widely speculated that our own early surge in flu cases can be attributed to travelers coming from the United States."

Yui frowned. "Ui, aren't Mom and Dad in the United States right now?"

Ui looked up from her frying pan. "Yes they are, Onee-chan."

"I just heard that there's a new flu in the United States."

"I heard that too," Ui replied. "The flu outbreak is up in the northeastern part of the country, so I'm sure Mom and Dad are fine. They're down in orange country, and I'm sure they're eating lots of oranges."

Yui grinned, eying the pile of oranges on the counter. "I sure know I am! Cultural Festival is coming up, and we're going to play there ... and our class is going to have a play. I can't wait to find out what we'll be doing and what I'll be playing."

* * *

><p>"And the results are in," Nodoka Manabe said, poised in front of the chalkboard of Class 3-2. "The role of Romeo, for Class 3-2's Cultural Festival production of <em>Romeo and Juliet<em> goes to … Mio Akiyama-san. Everybody give Mio a round of applause!"

Mio sat in her chair, a tiny, terrified, smile frozen on her face. Ritsu smirked at her and stood up. She waved a hand in front of her friend's face and suppressed the resulting giggle.

"Totally out cold," she pronounced. Mio opened her eyes and glared at Ritsu, before turning her attention to Nodoka.

"Wh-why me? How come I have to play the lead role?"

Nodoka flashed Mio a small, sympathetic, smile.

"Well, that's just how the vote went down."

"Oooh, I get it!" Yui said, smacking her fist into her palm. "Mio-chan is the perfect Romeo ... because Romeo is Ro-**Mio**!"

Ritsu exhaled sharply. It was a terrible, terrible pun.

"You think you're pretty clever, don't you!" Mio snapped, just as Ritsu draped her arm around Mio's shoulder.

"C'mon, Mio! It sounds like it'd be _totally_ fun!"

"For you, maybe! You're not the one who has to do it," Mio replied, her eyes wide with terror. Ritsu smirked mischievously, not seeing Nodoka take a step to her left ... removing herself from the spot she'd strategically placed herself in.

"And, for the role of Juliet," Nodoka said. "It looks like, ah, Ritsu Tainaka-san! A round of applause for Ritsu!"

"What!" Ritsu exclaimed. "Wait a minute ... _Wait a minute!_ " Her own heart raced as she strode to the front of the classroom. "How the hell ... I mean ... why are we even doing _Romeo and Juliet_ in the first place!"

Nodoka tilted her head and lifted an eyebrow. "We decided the play weeks ago," she replied. "And well, as you can see," she added, gesturing toward the chalkboard, "this _is_ the wish of the class."

"I've been working on the adaptation," Mugi said, helpfully. "Don't you remember me talking about it during tea? Though ... " she got one of those little _smiles_ which she coquettishly covered with one hand, "now that I know that _you two_ are going to be the leads ... I may have to do some revisions."

"What!" Ritsu and Mio said, simultaneously.

"Tainaka-san, Akiyama-san," Sawako said from the back corner of the classroom. "Please return to your seats." Ritsu wheeled back, staring at Sawako-sensei. She'd expected the teacher to jump in and compound their suffering, but ... if anything, she looked a bit under the weather.

"Yes ma'am," Ritsu replied. There'd be plenty of time to argue with Nodoka later. As she returned to her seat, she could feel the heat of Mio's glare burning into her.

Nodoka cleared her throat, turning back to the chalkboard. "All right. Those of you who also might've wanted to play Romeo or Juliet you have my apologies. Now, let's quickly run down the rest of the main cast ... "

Ritsu barely heard the rest. Her eyes were cast around the classroom, as she wondered _who voted for us?_ The other students, whose gaze Ritsu caught, looked away and giggled. She could feel her cheeks burning; she could imagine what new rumors would now be whispered in the school's hallways.

"... and that's it for all the main roles, but there will be something to do for everyone," Nodoka finished. Ritsu looked up, seeing that the chalkboard was now covered in names. "First up, the costumes."

"I'll take that," Sawako said.

"Yamanaka-sensei?"

"It'll be no problem, really," Sawako replied. Ritsu looked at her again. That their teacher volunteered to do the costumes was not surprising. What surprised Ritsu was how _tired_ Sawako sounded saying it.

"Yamanaka-sensei, it is a class project, and, uh, I'm not sure we should have a teacher doing the costumes." Nodoka tilted her head and smiled gently. "Besides, you don't look so well."

Sawako adjusted her glasses and gave Nodoka a tired smile. "I'll be fine," she said, turning to look right at Mio and Ritsu. "Trust me."

* * *

><p>"N-Nodoka! I can't do it ... I can't play the lead role," Mio said. Ritsu stood next to her, having found herself dragged up front by Mio.<p>

"Well," Nodoka started to reply. "The class _did_ vote you into the role, Mio."

"B-but, Matsumoto-san would make a much better Romeo!"

"Matsumoto-san also seems to be out with the flu that's been going around," Nodoka replied. She smiled gently. "Mio ... regardless of that, the class voted for _you_ to play the lead. Now if you're sure you really can't do it, I'll, see if someone else would be willing to step in; but I think you owe it to your classmates to at least try."

"Uhh," Mio said, shuffling her feet and looking down at the floor.

"Please, Mio?"

"Alright," Mio replied, in a tiny voice. "I'll try."

Ritsu couldn't help but smile. Nodoka was kind and persuasive, yet had the lowest tolerance for B.S. of anyone she'd ever met.

Something Nodoka said struck Ritsu. What did she say … that Matsumoto-san was out with the flu? Now that Ritsu thought about it, she could think of a couple others who were also out. Of those who'd made it to class, there was a handful wearing surgical masks. That, plus Sawako-sensei's unusual malaise, struck her as odd.

"Ritsu," Mio said. "Let's go."

Ritsu looked at her friend, and pushed thoughts of flu to the back of her mind. After all, there were more important things to worry about ... like how to get the most mileage out of Mio's latest misfortune.

* * *

><p>"So what is your class doing, Azu-nyan?" Yui asked, gazing at Azusa Nakano.<p>

"Well ... " Azusa replied, "we were thinking of doing a yakisoba cafe, but a quarter of the class is out sick with flu; so, I don't know."

"Aww," Yui replied, pursing her lips. She looked quite unhappy at Azusa's reply. Ritsu tilted her head to one side. Undoubtedly, Yui was thinking with her stomach, as was her custom.

"But, wow, you as Romeo, Mio-senpai," Azusa went on, turning her attention to Mio. That's really cool! I ... I can't wait to see it!"

Mio twitched, and then dropped her head down onto her forearm. "You shouldn't. I don't really wanna do it."

"Why not?" Azusa pressed. "It's the lead role, after all!" She added, falling abruptly, thoughtfully, silent. "Oh, but wait ... aren't you also doing vocals at our concert?"

Mio buried her face deeper into her forearm. "Just ... just kill me now ... please ... "

"What!" Azusa said, a puzzled look crossing her face.

Ritsu shook her head, a half-smile on her face. "You just had to land that killing blow, didn't you?"

Azusa looked at Ritsu. "Well ... " She trailed off, her gaze fixed firmly on Ritsu. Then, suddenly, she turned away in a fit of giggling.

Ritsu rolled her eyes. "Let's not go there again, m'kay, Nakano?"

* * *

><p>"Public safety officials gave a news conference this afternoon on the developing flu situation," the newsman said. "Officials urged people to remain calm, asserting that rumors of some patients in the United States and Europe becoming violent were just that. They also assured the public that scientists are hard at work on a vaccine, but until then, gave the following tips on how people could protect themselves from infection ... "<p>

"I still can't believe _you_ are playing Juliet," Satoshi said, grinning at Ritsu. Ritsu tried her best to ignore him, but the stream of bad news from the TV wasn't helping.

"Oh yeah," she shot back. "And did you know Mio is playing Romeo?"

"You told me ... and that's what makes it so funny!" Satoshi replied, erupting into laughter.

"Sa! To! Shiii!" Ritsu exclaimed, punching her younger brother's shoulder.

"Now children," their mother said, regarding them with bleary, tired, eyes. "No fighting, please? I don't feel well." Those eyes focused on Ritsu's. "Ritsu, it's very nice to hear you're playing Juliet. Maybe the studying you'll have to put into the role will focus your studies on your schoolwork," she said, trying to clear her throat. "Your father and I don't want to support you forever, after all," she said, finally breaking out into a fit of coughing. Ritsu glared at her, but said nothing.

"Did you hear me, Ritsu?"

"Yes Mom," Ritsu replied.

"Good, now go help your father," Ritsu's mother sniffled, "I think he's trying to set dinner on fire."

* * *

><p>"Where is everybody," were the first words out of Yui's mouth, as they walked into Class 3-2. Ritsu frowned as she peeked into the classroom. It seemed that nearly a third of the class was absent today. Worse, two-thirds of their remaining classmates now wore surgical masks.<p>

"Yui-san, they're home sick," Ritsu replied.

"Wow, Ricchan, this flu sure is spreading fast," Yui replied. "I clearly need more orange power!"

Ritsu chuckled and shook her head. "You know what? I agree. We don't need a repeat of the first year's disaster."

"Ricchan, that was cold," Yui replied, affronted.

"She also has a point," Mio added. "I think we all have to take extra-good care of ourselves this year. Although if I got sick ... "

"Don't go there, Akiyama-san," Ritsu replied, squeezing Mio's shoulder.

Mio turned away from Ritsu. "Don't tell me you weren't thinking the same thing."

"Okay," Ritsu replied. "I won't, 'cuz I wasn't. I wanna be nice and healthy so I can see you play Romeo."

Mio bit her lip, and then scowled. "Oh? Well, I guess I'm going to have to stay healthy so I can watch _you_ play Juliet!"

"Girls," Sawako said. "Take your seats." Ritsu looked up at their homeroom teacher. Like so many others in their class, she was wearing a surgical mask. Bloodshot eyes peered at them from behind her glasses, and the effect made Ritsu shiver. She took her seat, looking around the strangely sparse classroom. She saw Yui pout as she took her seat ... her friend Himeko was absent. Mio took her seat, looking as stoic as possible, given the circumstances. Mugi scribbled something furiously in a notebook.

The morning's lectures came and went in a haze punctuated by sniffling, clearing of throats, and fits of coughing. Curiously, Ritsu felt perfectly fine, though she didn't know how long that would last. So, as it turned out, was Nodoka. That meant it was time to work on the play for the festival.

"Okay then," Nodoka said, looking a bit sheepish. "Looks like we're a little," she paused, looking around, "short-staffed today. But that shouldn't be a problem. Our absent classmates will be up and about again in no time at all, I'm sure." She smiled gamely and adjusted her glasses.

"Now, in a minute, Tsumugi-san will be handing out copies of the play's script. I think she's done a fantastic job, and I'm sure you will too. Before I turn it over to her, I have one thing to ask of all of you. I know many of you are not feeling well, so I'm encouraging you all to take your vitamins tonight and get plenty of rest. If we pull together, I'm sure we can pull this play off without a hitch."

* * *

><p>Ritsu collapsed into her chair in the clubroom. There was one benefit to the flu going around, and that was that there were fewer people around to witness what was shaping up to be an absolute <em><strong>disaster <strong>_of a play.

The door opened and closed again, and Ritsu looked up.

"Oh, hi ... Azusa?"

Azusa smiled wanly at Ritsu ... or, at least, Ritsu assumed she was smiling wanly. It was hard to tell with her wearing a surgical mask.

"Hi Ritsu-senpai," Azusa replied. "Sorry about the mask ... my parents made me wear it."

"But you're feeling okay, aren't you?"

"Y-yeah. Where are Yui-senpai and the others?"

"Back at the classroom," Ritsu replied. "A third of the class is out sick, so they're subbing on cleaning duty. But, I will say, you look like hell."

"Half my class is out sick," Azusa said, frowning. "And I'm not sure half of what's left is going to be in tomorrow. I think the only person I know who's still healthy is Ui ... how's Yui-senpai doing?"

"Surprisingly, she hasn't gotten sick," Ritsu replied. "Then again, neither have myself, Mio, or Mugi."

"Oh," Azusa said. She unzipped her guitar bag. "I'm going to practice now. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, knock yourself out," Ritsu replied. "I might join you."

"Ritsu-senpai? Are you sure? You've got that lead role in your class play to worry about!"

Ritsu chuckled. "I don't know. Nodoka seemed awful upbeat about it, but to tell you the truth, I think we're going to be real thin in our own class in a couple of days." She smiled. "Besides, isn't it always _you_ exhorting us to practice more? Figured you'd be happy."

"But ... but I don't want to take away from your senior class experience, Ritsu-senpai," Azusa replied.

Ritsu sighed, reaching for her copy of the script. "Well, you never know ... the whole class might be back up in a few days after all."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Notes<span>:**  
>- Welcome to the zombie apocalypse, as presented by Houkago Tea Time. K-On! is an original story by Kakifly, serialized by Hobunsha. K-On! was originally adapted for television by Kyoto Animation and Tokyo Broadcasting System. Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 are developed and distributed by Valve Corporation. The author of this story is not affiliated with the above entities, has no financial stake in the above properties, and does not stand to profit from this story in any way.<br>- The timeframe for the Cultural Festival depicted in Volume 4 of K-On! happily (or unhappily, as the case may be,) coincides with the timeframe for the spread of the Green Flu in Left 4 Dead/Left 4 Dead 2.  
>- Sorry, no zombies yet. This is a setup so it can all go <em>horribly<em> wrong later.  
>- This chapter has been revised to clean up some clunky bits and improve its pacing. Leave reviews!<p> 


	2. Chapter 1

**The Gathering**_**:**  
>The table is set and they're the main course.<em>

"In this morning's news, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency has advised that schools across the prefecture be cancelled. This is in reaction to the unprecedented health crisis facing Japan. It is hoped that by quarantining potential pools of infection, that the explosive rate of growth of what is being called the 'Green Flu' can be checked. Rates of absenteeism among all classes of workers only seems to increase with every new day of the crisis. Additionally, the government has taken the unprecedented step of prohibiting all international air travel to, and from, Japan."

"Ui," Yui said, picking at her eggs. "That means Mom and Dad are going to be home late again, doesn't it?"

"Onee-chan, I told you several days ago that they were going to stay a little longer in the United States," Ui replied.

"Oh?"

"Onee-chan!"

"Okay, okay," Yui replied. Sakuragaoka High was among the schools that had already cancelled classes. Which was a tragedy … she was looking forward to her role in the play nearly as much as the Cultural Festival concert.

"Prefectural police have moved riot police to urban hospitals, following reports of riots breaking out among the sick. Public health officials stress that during this time of crisis, citizens should not go to the hospital unless gravely ill. They also wish to stress that this is a flu. For the majority of the afflicted, it can be treated with at-home bed-rest."

Yui took out her cellphone. "I wonder what the others are up to." She tapped buttons on her phone, and then pressed the "Send" key. Less than a minute later, it buzzed.

"Oooh, Ricchan!" Yui's eyes lit up, as she opened the text message. "Huh, she says she can't come over. Her mom is really sick ... poor Ricchan."

Her phone buzzed again, and Yui picked it up off the table. "It's Mio-chan!" Her eyes lit up, and then a moment later, they fell. "Mio-chan's parents won't let her out of the house. They're afraid of the flu."

The phone buzzed once more, as Yui was crafting her response to Mio. "Huh. Mugi-chan is at her home, supervising some people working on her house."

A peculiar tone sounded from their television. Yui and Ui instantly looked up.

"This just in. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency is reporting that spontaneous riots have broken out across several major urban regions. We will have more details as they become available."

As Yui and Ui stared at the television, Yui's phone vibrated one more time. It was a message from Azusa.

"Azu-nyan?" Yui said, staring thoughtfully at her phone.

"What is it, Onee-chan," Ui asked, leaning closer to her big sister.

"It's Azu-nyan," Yui replied. Her tone and expression both suggested worry. Ui took Yui's phone from her hand and read the message aloud:

"Yui-senpai, my parents are stuck in Kyoto. Home alone." Ui frowned at the phone, and at the TV, which was now playing a commercial for some late-night anime. "I think we should invite her over."

"I think that's a great idea!" Yui replied, reaching for her phone. She pressed some more buttons, and then held the phone to her ear. After a minute, she frowned, pressing the "End" button, followed by the "Send" button a few moments later.

"That's funny," she finally said, staring at her phone.

"What is it, Onee-chan?"

"I can't get a call through to Azu-nyan."

* * *

><p>The sound of violent coughing filled the Tainaka household. Ritsu looked up from her notebook, gazing in the direction of her parents' bedroom. In the last couple of days, her mother had gone from just sick to amazingly, worryingly sick. In fact, Ritsu was positive she'd only left her room to go to the bathroom. Otherwise, her father just brought up meals of soup and tea.<p>

She looked at the pile of neatly folded boxers on the table. Her father had been home at least two days ... his office had just shut down for the rest of the week. Even with both parents home, Ritsu still had to juggle her homework with keeping an eye on Satoshi.

"I'm _**bored**_," Satoshi said. "I wanna go over to my friend's house!"

Ritsu shook her head, absentmindedly tapping out a beat on her notebook. "Dad said you can't go out."

"But I'm fine! I've been fine for days! I'm not going to get no stupid flu!"

"Well, so am I," Ritsu replied, "but here I am. Why don't you go put on a video game?"

Satoshi frowned. "Mom says I can't. Says the noise bothers her head."

Ritsu closed her eyes, bit her lip, and then took a deep breath. "Fine. Tell you what ... you can borrow some of my manga ... I know you've had your eye on some of it for a while now."

"Really?" Satoshi's eyes lit up. "Uh, I mean, why would I wanna read your girly manga?"

"Well," Ritsu said, with a twinkle in her eye. "If you feel that way about it ... I guess I can take back my invitation to ... "

"W ... w ... wait! I changed my mind! I'm sorry I called your manga girly!"

Ritsu grinned. "Better, Satoshi-kun. Don't tell Mom I'm letting you do this ... and you'd better bring it all back when you're done!" _Especially since I've borrowed some of it from Yui,_ her mind amended.

"Okay!" Satoshi replied, amazingly already halfway across the living room.

Ritsu leaned back and yawned.

"Great. Now _I'm_ bored!"

Her eyes settled on her phone. Idly, she picked it up, thumbing through her address book until Mio's name came up.

"There's a zombie behind you," she typed out, giggling as she pressed the 'Send' button. A few moments later, a chime sounded, announcing Mio's response.

_Not funny. Baka Ritsu!_ Ritsu read.

"Heh, that's my Mio," she said to herself, smiling.

Just then, another chime announced a text from Yui. Ritsu quickly read it.

"Can't call Azu-nyan ... can you?" Ritsu said aloud. She thought about it for a moment.

"Oh, what the heck." She dialed Azusa's number.

"Hello?"

"Hi Azusa!"

"Ritsu-senpai!" The voice on the other end sounded relieved. Ritsu frowned.

"Is everything okay, Azusa?"

"Ritsu-senpai, I'm home alone. My parents are stuck in Kyoto. I tried calling Yui-senpai, but I couldn't get through."

"Huh, that's odd," Ritsu replied. "Yui just sent me a text asking if I could get through to you, because she couldn't."

"Well," Azusa said. "I tried three times and ... "

_Click._

Just like that, Azusa was gone. Ritsu frowned and pressed the 'Send' key again. She waited a minute, and then tried once more.

"Huh ... now _I_ can't reach Azusa. Wonder what's going?"

* * *

><p>"I'm terribly sorry, Lady Tsumugi," a man in a surgical mask and a neon-green vest said. He was the foreman of the contractors who were working on repainting the Kotobuki house.<p>

Mugi frowned. "Why are you sorry?"

"Well, Lady Tsumugi, we're going to fall behind schedule ... it's not like that! It's just that my whole crew's sick with that go ... darned flu," the man replied. Mugi looked at him. He really did look quite pale. Desperately ill, even.

"So they're staying home?"

The construction foreman shook his head violently. "Oh no, Lady Tsumugi. We wouldn't dare let your father down like that! Everyone's on the job, it's just that we have to be extra-careful. A lot of the guys are popping pills and vitamins like candy."

"That's no good," Mugi said, frowning.

"Like I said, we refuse to let your father down," the foreman replied. "We want to get the house done before your parents get back from their Finland trip. And we're going to, even if we all have to pull double-shifts to do it."

Mugi shook her head. "You men shouldn't have to work that hard. I'm sure my father would understand ... I hear the flu is spreading across Europe too."

"But we _want_ to, Lady Tsumugi! Your father is our best customer."

Mugi smiled gently, and then exhaled. This wasn't a battle she was going to win.

"Very well then," Mugi replied. "I shouldn't keep you from your work, then. I truly do appreciate the update."

"Thank you, Lady Tsumugi," the foreman replied, bowing. Mugi returned the bow to the exact degree expected, inwardly shuddering at the necessity. She watched the man leave the room. It'd been too long since she'd been out with her friends from the Light Music Club.

"Who was that?" A maid asked, stepping into the room. She shared Mugi's blonde hair and blue eyes, except her features were wholly Western.

"The foreman of the contractors working on the house," Mugi replied.

"He looked sick, Tsumugi-ojousama," the maid said.

"Sumire-chan," Mugi replied, her tone gentle. "You don't have to call me that in private."

"I-I'm sorry, onee-chan," Sumire Saito, Mugi's maid, and 'adopted' younger 'sister' said. "I forget, sometimes."

Mugi frowned. "You shouldn't. I'll be in university, next year, and I'm already planning to tell my parents that I don't want any part of," she gestured expansively, "this."

She saw the look of horror that flashed across Sumire's face, and reached out to touch her lips with her fingertip. "And you'll be starting at Sakuragaoka High next year too. Things will be changing." Mugi smiled and sighed softly. "I so look forward to the day when I can hear you call me 'Onee-chan' in public."

Sumire's blush could set fires.

"I ... I ... I don't know," she finally managed.

"Shhh," Mugi replied. "It will all be okay, I promise. I'll even introduce you to my friends."

"Really? The ones in the band? The ones you've told me about?"

"Mhm," Mugi replied, smiling. The smile faded away into a somber, contemplative expression. "I miss them. I hope they're doing all right."

* * *

><p>It was a new day, yet Yui stared listlessly at her television. Her toast, uneaten.<p>

"Aren't you hungry, Onee-chan?" Ui asked, frowning.

"Couldn't sleep," Yui mumbled. "Sirens kept waking me up."

"Oh," Ui replied, pursing her lips. The reports on the television had all been surreal ... "mysterious riots," a "public health crisis of hitherto-unknown proportions" ... but none of it seemed _real_. Not, at least, until the wail of emergency sirens started coming more, and more, often.

"Ui, what do you think's happening?" Yui asked. Ui raised her eyebrows at the unaccustomed seriousness in Yui's tone.

"I don't know, Onee-chan. But we're going to stay inside, just like the TV says."

"Report unusual behavior. Stay in your homes. Avoid all contact with infected individuals. Wait for official instructions," Yui echoed, her face almost perfectly matching the stony expression of the Fire and Disaster Management Agency spokesman. She threw herself back onto the floor. "Uiii! I don't wanna wait! I want ice cream. I wanna see my friends. I wanna play Gitah."

"But you can do the last one right here," Ui said.

"But I wanna play him _loud_! Ui, I wanna play Gitah and I wanna feel it when I do," Yui replied, waving her hands about in a vague effort to play air guitar.

"I'm sure everybody will come back to their senses," Ui replied. "When they do, I promise we'll go buy ice cream."

"Any kind I want?" Yui said, suddenly sitting up straight.

"Mhm!" Ui replied with a giggle.

Just then, Yui's phone rang. Yui rubbed her eyes and stared down at it. There was an immediate, bright, smile on her face.

"It's Azu-nyan!" She exclaimed, picking up her phone. "Azu-nyan!"

"Yui-senpai ... now's not the time to be so happy!" Azusa replied. Ui frowned at the tone of her friend's voice.

"But talking to Azu-nyan always fills me with joy! I mean ... I think about you _every_ day, y'know?"

" ... that's it, put Ui on!"

"Aww," Yui replied with a pout. "Uiiii, Azu-nyan's being mean."

Ui took the offered phone. "Hi Azusa-chan, what's up?"

"Ui ... " Azusa replied. "I ... uh ... c-can I come over?"

"Azusa-chan, you've heard the TV warnings," Ui replied. Yui leaned forward, her lips taking on an 'o' shape. "What's wrong?"

"I-I'm home alone and I'm scared. The trains out of Kyoto aren't running anymore and my parents are still there. I managed to get through to them, and they said they don't know when they'll be back."

"Azusa-chan ... " Ui said. "You're welcome here, but shouldn't we come over to you?"

"N-n ... no, it's fine! I can make the trip myself ... I ... it's just that everyone here is sick and ... I don't feel safe here."

"Tell you what," Ui replied. "Onee-chan and I will come to you and we'll go back together. It doesn't sound like you should be out alone."

"R-really?"

"Of course!"

"I'll get my stuff together," Azusa replied.

"Okay," Ui replied. "We'll be right over," she started to say, frowning. "Huh ... the call got dropped."

"Ui, what's happening? Azu-nyan sounds scared," Yui asked, her frown echoing her sister's.

"Azusa wants to come over, but I don't think it's safe to go out alone, so I told her we'll go get her."

"Ohh! Azu-nyan's in trouble!" Yui thrust out her hand. "I will protect my kitty."

Ui couldn't help but smile at that. "Okay, Onee-chan. I'll go get some stuff ready, but if we're going to go out ... I think you should eat your breakfast first."

* * *

><p>Ritsu stared at the short, plump, policeman at her door. He coughed into his surgical mask, and did his best to look serious.<p>

"Are you kidding," she asked, all the same.

"No ma'am," the policeman replied. "We've been asked to alert everybody to be ready to evacuate."

Ritsu turned the word over in her head. She'd answered the door, because her father was too busy taking care of her mother.

"Evacuate over a stupid flu?"

"I don't know if you've seen the TV lately, but some of those 'riots' have gotten serious," the policeman replied, shaking his head violently. "I hear they've already deployed SDF personnel to the major cities, and I know that riot police have had to restore order at some of the hospitals ... but between you and me, I've heard that they're not having any luck. In fact, some of the police are _joining in_ on the violence."

"I see," Ritsu replied, feeling the blood drain from her face. "Well, we can't leave," she finally managed. "My mother's too sick to get out of bed. What are we supposed to do?"

The policeman looked down at the ground.

"Well, I heard that FDMA is going to start telling people who can't evacuate ... to barricade their homes," he replied, looking at his watch. "I'm sorry, miss, but I really have to go now," he said, bowing slightly. Ritsu returned the bow and closed the door, her hand shaking.

"What was that about?" She heard her father ask from the top of the stairs.

"It was a policeman, Dad," Ritsu replied. "He was telling us to get ready to evacuate."

"Is it really that bad?"

"I guess," Ritsu replied. "I've seen the reports on TV, but I though they were, you know, sensationalizing things."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him that Mom was too sick to move."

Her father nodded. "Well, if the government tells us to evacuate, we should be ready to do so. I want you to go get a bag packed for Satoshi. Just in case. I'll go see how your mother's feeling."

* * *

><p>Hiro Tainaka watched his daughter go. He waited until she was out of sight before he allowed himself a deep frown. His wife, Mitsuko, had only gotten sicker, and sicker, as the days wore on. The sickness was doing things to her mind. She would awaken, ranting and raving, only to drop back into a deep sleep. Other times, he'd see her crying in her sleep. He'd called the doctor's office, only to be turned away ... the doctors were all busy, or the doctors were all sick.<p>

Quietly, he opened the door to their shared bedroom.

"Mitsu-chan," he said. His wife said nothing, laying in bed, her eyes closed.

"Mitsu-chan, wake up," he said, touching his wife's shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open. Her bloodshot, red-rimmed eyes.

"Hiro," she replied, her voice a moan. It sent shivers up Hiro's spine.

"The authorities are warning us to be ready to evacuate," he said. "How are you feeling?"

"Hungry," Mitsuko replied. Hiro frowned.

"Mitsu-chan ... did you hear me?"

"I am hungry," his wife replied, almost growling out the last word.

"I'm sorry, dear," Hiro replied. "I have Ritsu doing something with Satoshi right now, but I can peel you an apple. Is that okay?"

His wife didn't reply. Instead, she stared at him silently. He got to his feet, turning away from her to get an apple from the bowl of fruit that was sitting on a small desk. There was a sound behind him.

_Crash!_

Hiro tumbled to the floor, his wife on top of him, snarling and growling. She alternated between trying to tear at his shirt with her fingernails and pounding at his back with her fists. The bowl of fruit, and a small knife he'd used to peel them, crashed to the floor with them, scattering fruit everywhere.

"Mitsu!" Hiro gasped, thrusting her off of him, as he pushed himself up onto his knees. Mitsu growled, tackling him again. His world exploded in stars as his petite wife punched him in the face, and then swiped her fingernails across it. He blindly threw up his hands, trying to bat off her attacks, trying to gain some purchase on her wrists. Suddenly, she grabbed one of his arms, and bit down on it.

Hiro screamed, snatching his arm away, feeling his flesh tear in her teeth. With his other hand he struck out, backhanding her across the face. She reared back, and the wind went out of him as she brought her fists down on his solar plexus, and then raked her fingernails across his face. She then wrapped her hands around his throat, squeezing violently.

"Miiii!" Hiro choked out clutching at his wife's arms, trying desperately to pull her hands away. His vision started to swim, and he bucked violently, shaking loose her grip. She fell on top of him, struggling to pin his arms down, her jaws snapping as she tried to bite his throat.

"Mitsu! What are you doing!" He gasped, somehow managing to throw his wife to the side. He tried straddling her, and she brought her knee up into his groin. His knees failed and he collapsed on top of her, a breathless cry escaping his lips as he felt her teeth sink into his shoulder.

A panic-induced surge of adrenaline ripped through him, and he thrust himself up, away from her. Desperately, he kicked and crawled, reaching for the door ... if he could just reach it! His wife clawed at his shirt and skin, trying to pull him back down. She grabbed at his arm, sinking her fingernails into the wound she'd opened with her teeth. Hiro collapsed, and she was on top of him in an instant. Blindly, he flailed against the floor and his hand came into contact with something. Instinctively, he grabbed it, swinging it at her.

His wife half-screamed, half-gurgled. Something wet and hot splashed across Hiro's face, and he opened his eyes to a horrible sight. His wife stared at him, feral hatred in her eyes, her lips and teeth stained with blood ... _his_ blood. Blood poured from her throat, and in Hiro's clenched fist, the blade of the peeling knife protruded.

Mitsuko Tainaka coughed violently, blood and vile phlegm splattering on her husband's face. He instinctively recoiled, pushing her off him. She fell backward, trying to snarl, baring her bloodstained teeth at Hiro as he pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. Slowly, her feral, hateful, expression faded into one of dull lifelessness; her eyes becoming doll-like, the blood gushing from her mortal wound slowing to a sluggish ooze.

"Dad!" Ritsu screamed behind him. Hiro looked back, and his eyes alighted on the pale, terrified, features of his daughter.

"Ritsu!" Hiro snapped. "Whatever you do, don't let Satoshi in here!"

_**"What did you do!?"**_ Ritsu screamed.

"Get out now! Satoshi can't see this!" Hiro snapped. "It's ... it's like those movies you and I used to watch when you were little! You hear me! The George Romero movies!"

Ritsu stopped cold. Her eyes darted back and forth. Her father, crouched over her mother, both covered in blood. His face and arms covered in scratches and ... and ... _bite marks?_ Her mother, dead on the floor with throat cut, her mouth and lips covered in blood.

"Daddy, what's going on?" Satoshi called out somewhere behind Ritsu.

"Don't let him see this!" Hiro snarled. "Get him out of here and then call 119! I'm locking myself in here with your mother."

"Why ... "

"_**Goddamn**_ it Ritsu! Just do it! Do it _**now**_!" Hiro replied, nearly hysterical.

* * *

><p>A violent crash downstairs caused Mugi to look up with a start. She set aside her college entrance exam prep book, and pushed her chair away from her desk. As she made her way to the door, Arakawa, the Kotobuki house butler, poked his head, his salt-and-pepper mustache bristling.<p>

"Lady Tsumugi," the old man said. "Stay here for a few moments, please."

Mugi frowned. "Why? What's going on?"

"One of the contractors has just collapsed on the job. I'm having a couple of the kitchen staff carry him up to one of the guest quarters."

Mugi's mouth turned down in a concerned frown. "Oh my," she replied. "What was that crash, then?"

"The man who was overcome is a foreigner. From Brazil, they say. He's very heavy."

Mugi looked toward the broad window of her study. "They're overworking themselves, Arakawa-san," she said. "They don't dare displease Father, even though nearly all of them are sick with this flu."

"Your father is a very particular man, Lady Tsumugi," Arakawa replied.

"I-I could send them home myself," Mugi said, pounding her fist into her open palm.

"That would be _most_ unwise, Lady Tsumugi," Arakawa replied. "For one, they're not likely to abandon their work so easily. For another, your father certainly would _not_ approve."

"I do many things Father doesn't approve of, Arakawa-san," Mugi said.

"I know you do," Arakawa replied. "I implore you to choose your battles carefully, though." His eyes firmly held Mugi's. "And, besides, it's not especially safe to be outside today. They are ordering emergency evacuations across the prefecture. If you were to succeed, where would those men go, but to whatever shelters the government can set up on short notice. They would be safer here, under our protection."

Mugi closed her eyes, hating what the house butler said, hating that he was right.

"Very well," she replied. A thought came to her ... wouldn't her friends also be safer here? She looked up to put the question to Arakawa, but the old man was already gone. His near-supernatural stealthiness never failed to amaze and alarm her.

"Tsumugi-oujosama?" A girlish voice called out. Tsumugi nodded at Sumire. "I just heard what happened. Is everything all right?"

Mugi shook her head. "No, they aren't, Sumire-chan. Everything sounds like it's going crazy outside."

Sumire smiled a small, brave, smile. "I know," she replied. "There's nothing on TV anymore, but the emergency broadcasts and re-runs." Her smile faltered. "I'm scared ... Onee-chan."

Mugi took Sumire's hands in hers. "Arakawa-san says we'll be just fine," she said, scrunching up her face into a passable impression of the house butler's expressions.

Sumire giggled at Mugi's act. She missed the sudden flash of mischief that crossed Mugi's face.

"I know," Mugi said. "Let's go see the big foreigner who'd work until he fell over for Father!"

Sumire's face fell. "B ... bu ... but is that a good idea? He's sick!"

"I just want to poke my head in," Mugi replied, stepping out of the study, pulling Sumire along. "Do you know which guest room he's in?"

"I ... no, I don't!"

Mugi put on her best serious face. "We're just going to have to search them all then." The mask cracked. "It'll be just like when we were little."

"But ... why?"

"Because I can't do anything but sit here because everyone well enough to come in is on pins and needles," Mugi replied. "I'd sneak out, but nobody's in the mood to be indulgent right now."

"Sneak out ... your friends?"

Mugi closed her eyes and nodded jerkily. Azusa, Ritsu, Yui, and Mio were all out there.

"Onee-chan," Sumire whispered. "I'm sorry I mentioned that," she said. "Let's ... let's go find the big foreigner."

* * *

><p>Mugi and Sumire crept down the hallway, much like young children, hand in hand. Such familiarity would've been frowned on, if the house hadn't been mostly emptied by the flu. Even so, Mugi caught Sumire glancing around nervously. Suddenly, she stopped, and Sumire nearly ran into her. Mugi looked back, touching her fingertip to her lips.<p>

"I can't reach emergency services," they heard a woman's voice say from one of the closed doors.

"Keep ... no, call the driver," Arakawa said. He sounded tense.

There was a deep groan.

Arakawa said something that Mugi didn't understand. It sounded like Portuguese. His words were greeted with a crash, and he responded with the same words.

Mugi and Sumire quickly, quietly, made their way toward the door of the guest room. They were stopped dead in their tracks when the woman screamed.

_Crunch!_ Something heavy slammed into the wall. The screaming was instantly silenced.

Mugi and Sumire sprinted the rest of the way to the door.

"What are you doing, you fiend!" Arakawa shouted.

Mugi started to open the door, only to have it abruptly slammed shut on her. Sumire screamed.

"Saito-san! Get out of here!" Arakawa said on the other side. Mugi could hear sobbing on the other side. There was another _crash_ ... strong enough to shake the floor. Mugi felt the lock to the door click.

"Goddamn it, call for hel ... " Arakawa's words were smashed into an inarticulate, half-grunt, half-scream; just as the door shook violently as something was slammed into it.

"Arakawa-san!" Mugi and Sumire screamed at the same time. There was an inhuman _roar_ from the other side of the door.

"Goddamn it!" Arakawa gasped from the other side. They could hear him scrambling desperately to his feet. "Out! Now! I can't hold him!"

The door shook violently, as whatever was attacking Arakawa apparently caught him, and threw him back against the door. A crack appeared in the wood and both Mugi and Sumire screamed, unable to move.

_Slam!_

_Crash!_

_Wham!_

With each blow, the door and doorframe creaked dangerously. Paint spalled off the doorframe, and inside, they heard furious, animal-like grunts and growls.

"Oujosama!" Sumire screamed, pulling frantically on Mugi's arm. Mugi began to back away from that door, suddenly weak-kneed. Just then, the door exploded outward. Arakawa's broken, bloodied, body smashed into the wall and collapsed to the floor in a heap. Neither Mugi, nor Sumire, saw anything else, as primal flight instincts finally took over.

"Come fiend!" Arakawa gasped behind them. He was greeted by a roar, and they could hear him being slammed into the wall again. Mugi and Sumire bolted for the stairs, but skidded to a stop, seeing one of the kitchen boys in the stairwell. He was staggering up the stairs, his face and hands covered in blood. He looked up at Mugi and Sumire, hissed, and began scrambling up the stairs.

"Sumire-chan!" Mugi screamed, wheeling about, yanking Sumire back from the top of the stairs. "To Father's study!"

They half-sprinted, half-stumbled down the hallway. Mugi had to pull Sumire along, as her maid uniform did not lend itself to running. Behind them, the kitchen boy lurched after them, snarling. Somehow, they reached the door to the Kotobuki study, and Mugi screamed, trying to force some coordination into her hand ... just enough to work a goddamn doorknob.

The door exploded open, and the two girls practically fell inside.

"Sumire! The door!" Mugi said. There was a couch just inside, and Mugi had already scrambled across it to the end furthest from the door. Sumire slammed the door, just in time for the kitchen boy to begin pounding on it with his fists. Each blow to the door evoked a squeal of terror from Sumire. Mugi heaved, and the couch moved. Sumire jumped back, just in time, as the couch slammed into the wall, blocking the door.

Already, Mugi was sprinting across the room to her father's desk.

"Onee-chan! What are we going to do?"

Mugi ignored her, flinging open her father's drawers, scattering items across the room.

"Onee-chan!"

"Sumire! Stay close," Mugi replied, wrapping her hand around a set of keys. She grabbed Sumire's arm with her other hand and fairly dragged her toward the locked cabinet at the opposite corner. Trembling, she struggled just to get the key into the lock, as the pounding on the door grew more insistent and the snarling grew increasingly frustrated.

Success!

The key slid into the lock, and Mugi flung the door to the cabinet open. Inside was a pair of shotguns, their bright silver-gold receivers gleaming in light. Mugi dropped to her knees, breathing hard as she tried to get another key into the lock of a box that sat at the bottom of the cabinet. Behind them, there was a howl that drowned out the frustrated screaming of the kitchen boy.

The box sprung open. Inside, there were boxes and boxes of 12 gauge shotgun shells. Mugi picked up one of them, tearing the box open, its contents spilling out onto the plush burgundy carpet. She scooped up two handfuls, stuffing them into her pocket; before she fumbled one, two, and finally, three shells into one of the shotguns, and pulled it free.

"Onee-chan," Sumire said, her eyes wide, her mouth agape. She had no time to say anything else. The heavy oaken door shook violently, beginning to splinter. Whatever had taken Arakawa and the nameless maid had come for Mugi and Sumire.

The door exploded inward, and the kitchen boy was already scrambling over the couch.

_Crash!_

The window behind the desk vanished in a cascade of shattered glass, along with the kitchen boy. Standing on the couch was a tall, tanned, man. His overalls were stained in sweat, vomit, and blood. His dark hair was matted, and his eyes were wide. He screamed, leaping off the couch, charging toward Mugi and Sumire.

"Onee-chan!" Sumire managed to scream, just as the man bowled Mugi over, while knocking Sumire off her feet, flinging her into the wall.

"Sumire!" Mugi cried, tumbling to the ground, the shotgun flying from her grasp. She scrambled backward as the man grabbed Sumire by the front of her maid's uniform and threw her into the ground. Sumire gasped and screamed.

"Onee-chan! _**Help!**_" Sumire gasped, just as the man picked her up, flinging her onto the massive desk. Mugi felt desperately behind her, not wanting to take her eyes off the man. That man ... no, that monster, picked up Sumire and slammed her into the desk.

Mugi gasped as her hand wrapped around the barrel of the shotgun. She scrambled backwards, up against the wall, pulling the shotgun into her arms. She struggled to her feet.

"You put her down!" She said, putting as much snap into her voice as she could manage. The monster swept Sumire off the desk, and descended on her with single-minded determination.

"Now!" Mugi screamed, shakily raising the shotgun to her shoulder.

The monster howled, sweeping Sumire up and slamming her into the floor. Sumire screamed as she slammed into the ground, her fists flailing wildly, ineffectually, against the monster. Mugi stood there, shaking violently, the monster in her sights.

_Thud!_ Sumire screamed as she was slammed into the ground. Still, Mugi hesitated. Why couldn't she pull that trigger? _Why?_

_Thud!_ Sumire clawed at her captor's arms, gasping, sobbing. Soon it would be just the monster and Mugi. Alone.

_KA-BOOM!_ The shotgun thundered. Her father's glass display case exploded.

_KA-BOOM!_ A ragged hole appeared in the wall behind the monster. He looked up at Mugi and snarled.

_KA-BOOM!_ There was a spray of blood from the monster's shoulder, and he dropped Sumire, his attention focused on Mugi now. She struggled to fish shells out of her pocket, fumbling them into her shotgun. The shotgun thundered once more, exploding a patch of carpet, and the monster howled. It lunged toward Mugi, murderous intent in its eyes. She backed up, abruptly hitting the wall. Then, the monster charged her.

The shotgun roared twice, in rapid succession, and then the monster slammed into Mugi. Her breath left her in an explosive gasp, and she squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the pounding that would follow.

Only none came. Instead, Mugi felt the monster's weight pressed against her. Violently, she shoved back with her shotgun, and the monster fell away. Slowly, she opened her eyes. The monster lay on the ground, staring skyward with blank, dead, eyes. Blood oozed from the lunar wasteland that had been its chest and head. The shotgun clattered against the wall, tumbling to the ground as the enormity of what Mugi did finally caught up with her.

Sumire groaned, snapping Mugi back to her senses.

"Sumire-chan!" She said. She found herself kneeling next to Sumire, not remembering how she got there. "Oh Sumire," she repeated, tears coming to her eyes.

"On-Onee-chan ... " Sumire replied. "It hurts."

"Sumire-chan, I'm so sorry," Mugi sobbed, squeezing Sumire's hand in her own. "I-I ... " she pressed Sumire's hand to her cheek, her body shuddering as she sobbed.

"Onee-chan," Sumire said, forcing herself to sit up. She threw her arms around Mugi, an involuntary moan escaping her lips. "I-I'll be ... okay," she said. "I just h-hurt all over."

"Sumire-chan," Mugi sobbed, wrapping herself around Sumire. "I'm so, so sorry."

Sumire reached into a pocket for a handkerchief. She dabbed Mugi's cheeks. "I'm ... alive, aren't I?" She said, a weak smile on her face. "I ... think ... I can stand ... up."

Mugi looked at Sumire through watery eyes. She could hear the effort it took for Sumire to breath.

"No," she replied. "You ... you should lay down," she said, sniffling.

Sumire shook her head. "I'll ... be okay," she replied. "I ... don't feel ... safe in here."

As if to punctuate her point, they heard screaming from outside the shattered window. The sound sent a fresh thrill of terror up Mugi's spine, and she forced herself up to her feet. She helped Sumire, as she staggered and struggled to her feet. Slowly, both of them shuffled toward the window.

They could only look on in shocked silence at the horror they saw. Several dead construction workers lay scattered on the ground, lying in pools of their own blood. Several living construction workers were clustered around one of their own, kicking and stomping. His screams, and their growls carried all the way up to their vantage point on the third floor of the Kotobuki house. A couple workers stood off to the side, clutching their bellies. One of them vomited black blood.

"It isn't safe here," Mugi echoed. "W-we have to get out of here. Get you some help ... "

"I can ... walk it off," Sumire replied gamely, clutching Mugi's arm tightly.

"No! We have to get you out of here," Mugi said. "I'll ... I'll just call for the driver!" She rushed around the desk, picking an old-fashioned looking telephone up off the floor. With a trembling fingertip, she dialed the house driver's number. The phone rang. And rang. And rang. Mugi tried again, and then once more. Suddenly, there was a click.

"Help!" Was all the driver could scream. In the background, there were several other screams. One of them, Mugi, was sure she recognized as sweet Chitose ... a woman whose voice Mugi would never have imagined would sound so harsh and animalistic.

Mugi slammed the phone back down, tears threatening to overwhelm her once more. She shook her head violently, breathing as deep as she could.

"Su-Sumire," she said. "Please get as many boxes of shells out of Father's cabinet as you can carry."

"Onee-chan?" Sumire replied, her eyes darting to the open cabinet, and then to the bloodied body on the floor.

"Please, Sumire," Mugi said, choking back a sob. "We have to get out of here ... _out-of-here_ out of here." She went to the cabinet, pulling the second shotgun free. She hurried to the wall and scooped her shotgun off the floor. Sumire stared at her in disbelief. She leaned against the desk, wincing every time she took a breath.

"Saito-san! Now!" Mugi snapped. Her words hurt her nearly as much as seeing Sumire in such agony. Never before, had she used that tone of voice on Sumire. Yet, it had the desired effect. Sumire limped over to the cabinet, and began stuffing as many boxes of shotgun shells into her apron as she could. Mugi began to load both shotguns, amazed at how much easier it was now. She slung both of them onto her back, and then went to join Sumire.

"Oujosama," Sumire said. Her own eyes were wet with tears.

"Sumire-chan, I'm ... I'm sorry," Mugi said, inhaling deeply. "B ... b ... but, we really have to go. I think the flu's turning people into monsters."

Sumire sniffled and wiped her nose and eyes.

"I understand," she replied, hesitantly. Both girls were silent for several moments, leaning gently into each other. "How will we get out of here?" She finally asked. "The driver is ... is ... " she shuddered.

Mugi looked up. "I know someone we can call."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Notes<span>:**  
>- If your knowledge of K-On! ends with the first four volumes, or the anime, then Sumire Saito is a new character in the ongoing stories being written by Kakifly. She's a member of the Light Music Club as headed by Azusa, after the Main Four graduated. Yes, she really does have the relationship with Mugi she shows here.<br>- Hiro and Mitsuko Tainaka . . . well, I had to name Ritsu's parents something.  
>- 119 is the Japanese emergency number for firerescue. 110 is for calling the police.  
>- A note on Japanese gun laws. The only sorts of guns a Japanese citizen may legally acquire are shotguns (for target and skeettrap shooting.) There are some old curio/relic rifles that were grandfathered in, but they don't matter for the purposes of this story. The licensing process is quite onerous, and the license must be reacquired every three years.  
>- The shotguns are Beretta AL391 Teknys Gold Target 12 gauge semi-automatics. At $2500 apiece, with a whole raft of features for sport shooting, it seemed like the sort of gun the Kotobuki's might buy (that would be useful in a zombie apocalypse.)<br>- The sort of skeet/trap shotgun obscenely rich people would _**actually**_ buy are double-barrel guns that cost over three times as much. They are the last guns you'd want to use against Left 4 Dead-type zombies.  
>- They'll also be the last guns we see for a while. Japan's gun laws are extremely restrictive.<br>- Yes, that is a proto-Charger we see at the end of the chapter.  
>- This chapter has been revised over its original versions to tighten up the writing.<p> 


	3. Chapter 2

**The Darkness****:  
><strong>The light at the end of the tunnel is their doom.

"You want to do what?" Nodoka said. She sounded distinctly aggrieved.

"We're going to get Azu-nyan!" Yui replied. "She wants us to come to her house, 'cuz she's all alone."

"Yui ... we had a visit from the police a little while ago, they told us that the riots are spreading, so we should be ready to evacuate."

"Oh? We haven't," Yui replied, pressing her phone up to her ear.

"Well, we have," Nodoka said. "And that's why I tried nearly ten times to call you guys. Your parents are still overseas, right?"

"Well ... yeah."

"My parents think you and Ui should come over here, Yui. Just to be on the safe side. It doesn't sound safe out there."

"Well," Yui replied. "If it isn't safe out there, then it definitely isn't safe at Azu-nyan's house. Which means we should get her."

"If it isn't safe at her house, then it won't be very safe at yours either, Yui," Nodoka said. "She lives within running distance, doesn't she?"

"Oooh! All the more reason for us to get Azu-nyan! The more of us, the safer we'll be, right?"

There was silence on the other end of the line.

"Nodoka-chan?"

"I'm thinking, Yui," Nodoka replied. Several more moments passed. "Okay, um, how does this sound? I'll come over, and _you and I_ can go get Azusa?"

Yui pursed her lips. "Aww, you would do that for me, Nodoka-chan? Even though it's not safe outside?"

"Don't even think about using your 'logic' on me, Yui," Nodoka said. "If this evacuation order goes down, I'd rather have Ui doing your packing. I live closer to you, and my parents know all about you, so they'll understand."

"I can do my own packing," Yui replied, thumping her free hand to her chest.

"Yui! This is serious!"

"Okay, okay, Nodoka-chan. But you'd better hurry, though. I don't wanna keep Azu-nyan waiting, you know?"

"I'm going to talk to my parents now. Don't even think of leaving your house until I get there."

"Right, right," Yui replied.

Ui walked in at that moment.

"Who were you talking to just now, Onee-chan?"

"That was Nodoka-chan! I just talked her into coming over."

"Onee-chan," Ui replied, tilting her head.

"Okay, okay," Yui replied. "She actually wants to go with me to get Azu-nyan, and have you stay here. Something about an evacuation."

"An evacuation?" Ui said, her eyes widening. They'd had the TV off for a while now ... Ui had no idea things had gotten that bad on the outside. "If we're going to evacuate, I'd ... I'd better go pack!"

"That's what she said," Yui replied, before dropping her chin into her hand and leaning toward Ui. "Are you ... psychic?"

Ui shook her head. "I guess Nodoka and I think alike, that's all, Onee-chan. But I really think I should come with you."

"I'm sure I'll be just fine with Nodoka-chan. We'll go get Azu-nyan and we'll be back before you miss us," Yui replied. Ui looked at her sister. She was starting to get the look. The one she got once she made her mind up about something. She had to put the brakes on … immediately.

"Well," she said. "I'm coming with you, Onee-chan. I'm sure I can pack us something before Nodoka gets here."

Yui's eyes lit up. "If you're going to pack, I'm gonna pack too!"

"Onee-chan!" Ui said, even as Yui held up her hand.

"I'm gonna get Gitah! Then we don't have to come back here at all! We can all just go right over to Nodoka-chan's house, right?"

"Onee-chan ... " Ui said, pursing her lips together. "I'm not sure they'll let us bring Gitah along."

"I'm sure they will," Yui replied, already halfway to the stairs. "What would I be without Gitah? They'll understand!"

* * *

><p>"Absolutely not!" Nodoka said, glaring at Yui. Yui was dressed in the heaviest jacket Ui could find. On her back were her guitar bag and a small backpack.<p>

"But Gitah will be very lonely here," Yui replied, frowning.

"Yui, listen to me," Nodoka said, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "The policeman told us that any evacuation order would be short notice. They'll probably let you bring enough for a few days, but they won't let you bring your guitar."

"Are you suuuure?"

"Ugh, yes, Yui, I'm positive," Nodoka sighed. "I know how much you've put into learning to play that guitar ... but I'm sure any evacuation they do order will be for just a few days. Long enough for the government to go in and restore order. You'll be reunited with your guitar in no time."

"Well, when you put it that way ... " Yui mused. "_Azu-nyan's_ guitar will be lonely during that time. I'm sure she will appreciate Gitah's company! And Gitah will be lonely over here too unless I bring him to Azu-nyan's with me."

"Okay, fine," Nodoka finally replied, shrugging while exhaling sharply. "Let's just get over to Azusa's, and get this done already."

Yui smiled brightly. Nodoka and Ui exchanged a worried look as they stepped outside the house.

"So tell me," Ui said, one eye on Yui, "how bad is it, really, Nodoka-chan?"

"Bad," Nodoka replied, breaking out into a jog to keep up with Yui. "You know how FDMA asked people to stay inside? Well, I saw people wandering the streets, as if in a daze. I didn't dare call out to them. Worse, I saw no less than three fist-fights breaking out."

"Oh no," Ui replied. "Onee-chan! Slow down!"

Yui turned around, jogging backward. "But we've kept Azu-nyan waiting long enough!" She turned away from them. "Anyway, it's just the right weather for it."

"Yui, please," Nodoka chimed in. "I hurried to get to your house."

"Wellll then," Yui replied, turning around, only to run head-first into a man that had come staggering down his driveway. Somehow, Yui kept her footing, while the man sprawled backward."

"Onee-chan!" Ui gasped. Nodoka pushed ahead of her.

"We're terribly sorry, sir," she started to say. The man stared up at them, his eyes bloodshot, uncomprehending. He grunted, and let out a low snarl, pulling himself up to a sitting position.

"Yui! Apologize," Nodoka said.

Yui had the decency to look embarrassed. "I'm sorry I ran into you, sir," she said. "I was just in a hurr ... eek!" She leaned back as the man simultaneously grabbed at her, while trying to leap to his feet. He snarled inarticulately."

"Nodoka-chan," Yui said. "He's not being very nice about it."

The man lurched forward onto his hands and knees, pushing himself up. He hissed like some sort of reptile. He lunged at Yui, who leaped back.

"Not very nice at all!" Yui said as the man snarled, lunging at her. He managed to get a handful of her scarf, and fell forward as it was yanked off. "R-run away!"

The girls hurried around the man, who stared dumbly at Yui's scarf.

"Were they like that?" Ui shouted.

"Y-yeah!" Nodoka replied.

"I'm going to miss that scarf!" Yui said. Suddenly, there were other grunts and growls. A woman lying out of sight in the bushes sat up with a start, her eyes fixating on the girls. A car door flew open and a man practically fell out, landing on his hands and knees. He struggled to his feet. Both joined the first man, lurching after them.

"Guys," Nodoka said, looking back. "Run _faster!_ "

The three sick people were joined by several more. Nodoka saw curtains moving in windows, as people watched them go by.

"It's Azu-nyan's house!" Yui exclaimed, stretching her arms out behind her, putting on the speed."

"Onee-chan! Wait up!"

Nodoka heard one of the people trip and tumble. There were indignant snarls behind them, as others tripped over that person. Then, there were howls of pain, and the sounds of blows landing on unprotected flesh. And then they dashed up the walkway to Azusa's house. Yui was first to the door, but Ui was the first to start knocking.

"Azusa-chan! Open up! It's us!" Ui shouted at the door.

"Azu-nyan!" Yui shouted. Nodoka moved to start hammering on the door, and then wheeled around. The sick men were still behind them, growling and grunting. She exhaled sharply, before she put herself between them and the Hirasawa sisters, and dropping into a crouch.

"Guys! Get inside!" Azusa's voice yelled behind them. Nodoka felt two pairs of hands grasping her shoulders, hauling her inside. She tumbled backward, as Ui slammed the door shut.

"Azu-nyan!" Yui exclaimed, practically pouncing Azusa; wrapping herself tightly around her.

"Y-Yui-senpai," Azusa said, seemingly too shocked, or just unwilling, to protest.

There were the thuds of several sets of fists, as the men pounded on Azusa's door. Ui locked the door, leaping back as it shook with each blow.

"We're here, Azu-nyan!" Yui said. "Here to keep you safe."

Azusa looked at the door. It was a very solid door, but it didn't sound like the men outside were going to take "no" for an answer.

"Well, you're doing a real good job of it!" She finally said, trying to shrug out of Yui's embrace.

"We're sorry, Azusa," Nodoka said, her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. "You've locked your doors ... right?"

"Y-yes!" Azusa replied. "I-I was starting to worry that you guys wouldn't come."

"I'd do anything for my Azu-nyan," Yui said, resting her chin on Azusa's shoulder.

"I-I wish it didn't involve so much of _this_ ... and is that Git ... your guitar?"

"It sure is," Yui replied. "And I think we should get away from the door."

"_Finally_, a smart idea," Nodoka said, pushing herself to her feet. "Let's all get away from the door, and be quiet. Maybe they'll lose interest."

The girls quietly backed away from the door.

"Yui-senpai ... why'd you bring Gitah? And could you let go of me?"

"Because Gitah is coming with me," Yui announced. "And not on your life. You're the perfect hug. Just what I need to recharge my energy after running all this way to come get you," she said, flashing a look at Nodoka. Nodoka pressed her lips together, but said nothing. This looked like something Yui was just going to have to learn the hard way.

* * *

><p>Mugi and Sumire stood just inside the foyer of the Kotobuki house. Mugi watched Sumire, tight-lipped. The younger girl was breathing easier with a couple of strong pills in her, but that couldn't last. Sumire looked back at Mugi, smiling nervously, shouldering her backpack. Mugi hefted her Korg's case and tried her best to look <em>casual<em>.

How she was keeping her composure, she didn't know. She'd just laid out the bodies of her house staff, as best as she could, while Sumire tried over and over, ultimately in vain, to reach emergency services.

She sorely wished to have that shotgun in her arms. After all, there were still crazed man-monsters wandering the grounds; but she didn't want to alarm their ride.

The intercom Mugi was standing next to crackled to life.

"Uh, hello," a woman's voice said. "I'm here to see Tsumugi Kotobuki-san?"

Mugi touched a button. "I'm opening the gate, Sawako-sensei. Come right up to the house, and don't stop until you get here."

"O-okay," Sawako replied. Mugi frowned at how tired she sounded. All the same, she flipped the switch that would open the gate to the grounds. She fervently hoped the man-monsters were nowhere near the driveway.

"I-I love you, Onee-chan," Sumire said, looking down at the tiled floor. Part of Mugi's mind thrilled at the words. The rest of her frowned.

"I love you too, Sumire-chan," she replied. "We're going to get out of here. We're going to be fine."

Sumire slowly looked up, her eyes finding Mugi's. "P-pr ... promise?"

"I'll pinky-swear to it," Mugi replied, extending her hand. Sumire mirrored the gesture, slowly, unsteadily. It'd been a hefty dose of pills. Their pinkies curled together, and the promise was made.

Just then, they heard the sound of a motor. Mugi looked out the door, and saw Sawako's red car careening up the roundabout, screeching to a halt in front of them.

"Let's go," Mugi said, taking Sumire's hand in her own, pulling her along. They rushed to Sawako's car, Sumire in the back, with Mugi dropping into the seat next to Sawako. Her keyboard bag went between her legs. It was a tight fit.

"Tsumugi-chan," Sawako said, looking over at Mugi. She looked pale. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Sumire Saito," Mugi replied. "Our families go far back ... are you feeling okay, Sawa-chan?"

Sawako cracked a wan smile. "I'm fine. I thought I was getting over being sick, but it ... I think it was something I ate. I'll be fine." She put the car in gear and it swerved violently. "What's happening, Mugi-chan? There are some crazy people here. I nearly ran over several of them on my way up your driveway."

"I-I think the flu's been changing them," Mugi replied.

"That'd explain some things," Sawako said. The car swerved violently as a blood-covered figure lunged out from behind the bushes. Sumire gasped, but didn't scream. "Did you know there's an evacuation center set up at the school now?"

"I thought they were just advising people to get ready," Sumire replied, her eyes going wide.

"The principal managed to get a hold of me," Sawako said, flooring the accelerator. The tiny engine howled in protest. "Where are we going?"

Mugi frowned. "I guess we go to the school ... I'm sure the others will be heading there too ... I think."

"Okay," Sawako replied after several moments of silence. "But, I have to stop by my apartment first. I was going to pack my bags when you called me."

* * *

><p>"Dad?" Ritsu said. It was dead silent outside her parents' bedroom.<p>

"Dad?" She repeated, knocking softly.

"Dad," she said, reaching for the doorknob. It wouldn't turn.

"I ... told you ... I'd be locking the door," her father finally replied. "It ... it isn't safe in here."

"I did what you told me to," Ritsu said, her tone flat and hard. "Satoshi is distracted, and I tried to call emergency services. Over, and over, and over; in fact," she said. Her other hand clenched tighter around the grip of a baseball bat.

"That's ... good," her father replied. "I'm ... glad."

"What's wrong with you," Ritsu said, her voice rising. "Why did you attack Mom?"

"Rit ... Ritsu, she ... attacked me," Ritsu heard an unsteady, shuddering, intake of breath. "I ... I didn't want to kill ... Mitsu."

"Then what the hell? I saw you on top of her!"

"Ritsu ... listen to me," her father replied, his voice weak, and his words hesitant. "Think ... everybody who got the damned flu is turning! All those riots lately ... think about it ... Rii!"

Ritsu closed her eyes, only to be greeted with the horror of her father and mother, bloodied and battered.

"She ... she bit you?"

"Y ... yes," her father replied. Ritsu's eyes snapped open, the words had just popped out there, so soft that she'd have never thought her father would hear. "I think it's just ... like the Romero movies."

"But," Ritsu took a deep breath, fighting sudden tears. "Those ... those are only movies."

"Not ... not anymore," her father said. His voice sounded softer, more distant. "You ... you and ... Satoshi ... you've got to get out of here."

"No!" Ritsu said. "Not without you!"

"Without me," her father insisted. "Mi ... Mi-chan bit me. Don't want to do anything ... horrible to you and Satoshi."

"You're just in shock," Ritsu, her eyes wet. "What if it isn't like that?"

"Already ... taken precautions ... "her father said, not hearing her.

"Precautions? _What did you do?_ " Ritsu's heart was immediately in her throat. There was no answer.

"Dad!" Ritsu said, hammering on the door. "What did you do? What do you mean?"

"Rii ... Rii, not so loud ... " her father replied. "I ... took every last one ... every last pill ... maybe I'll be too drugged ... to be a good zombie."

The words struck Ritsu like a hammer-blow between the eyes. "No. No, no, nononono damnit, no! This isn't happening! Dad ... oh God, no," she sank to her knees. "Damn you, **why!**"

"Already am," her father replied. Ritsu's mouth snapped shut. "Can't ... can't risk ... Rii, I'm proud ... I'm proud of you."

"What does that even mean?" Ritsu said, the tears flowing freely. "Dad?"

No response.

"Dad?"

"Dad ... **Dad!**"

The silence from behind that door settled around Ritsu, like an oppressive fog.

Ritsu pushed herself to her knees, and hammered at the door once again.

"You answer me, Dad! Answer me! Wake up!"

Nothing.

Ritsu's jaw worked, but further words refused to come. She knocked and beat at that door, her breath coming in deep, shuddering, gasps. The silence was unmoved in its finality.

"Sis!" A voice said.

"Sis!" That voice, again, more insistent! Ritsu rocked back, away from the door.

Footsteps. Coming up the stairs.

"Not another step, Satoshi!" Ritsu cried. "Get back down! Now!"

"But Sis ... someone's knocking at the door!"

A sudden thrill raced down Ritsu's spine. She whisked the baseball bat into her hand.

"I'm coming down," she said. "You get back downstairs! Mom and Dad don't want to be disturbed. You hear me!"

Ritsu scrambled to her feet, her heart starting to race. If her father was so convinced that he was going to become a zombie he'd ... she violently shoved the thought down, leaping down the stairs. Satoshi was at the bottom of the stairs, staring up at her.

"Stay behind me," Ritsu said, her voice low and thick. The way she clutched that bat, and the look she shot him, instantly silenced him. She ran right up to the door. If it were one of those sick bastards, she wouldn't give him a chance to think. She unlocked the door and flung it open.

"Ritsu!" Mio said, flinging herself into Ritsu's house, wrapping her arms tightly around her. "Oh Ritsu," Mio said, her own voice husky as she held Ritsu so tightly. "It's ... it's ... I ... " she struggled to say, her body starting to shake. "I got lost ... I lost sight of Mommy and Daddy and ... " the rest crumbled into incoherency as Mio sobbed, clutching Ritsu tightly.

"Mio," Ritsu struggled for breath. "Mio, you're crushing ... me ... _Mio!_" She got her hands between them pushing hard.

"Get a grip!" She said. "You're not allowed to fall apart on me yet, Mio Akiyama! Tell me what happened?"

Mio staggered back, her eyes locking on Ritsu's, blinking rapidly.

"Ritsu," Mio said. She sank to her knees. "We ... thought we'd get ahead and leave early ... I tried to call you, but I couldn't get through." She wiped her eyes, trying to breathe. Ritsu's head jerked back to Satoshi, who hesitantly, quietly, stepped around Mio, to close the door.

"Mio!"

"I'm sorry," the words came out in a jumble. "There was a traffic jam and everybody was attacked, and ... " Mio clutched at the fabric of her pants and cried.

"Mio," Ritsu said, dropping to her knees, her chest tightening. "Listen to me. Who attacked you?"

"They ... all did, standing around and ... and then they started running and ... everyone was trapped in their cars."

"It really is the zombie apocalypse," Ritsu whispered, the visual coalescing in her head. The tightness in her chest was becoming an ache, nausea beginning to gnaw at her belly. She suddenly took a big breath and screamed.

Satoshi and Mio stared at her.

"Mio! Get a hold of yourself! Look at me," Ritsu said, grabbing Mio's jacket. "_Look at me!_ You look at me, and you pull yourself together!"

"Ritsu," Mio said, again, she looked at Ritsu. And saw the bloodshot eyes. The tear-stained cheeks. The baseball bat clutched in her hand. "Ritsu," she echoed. "What's happened to you?"

Ritsu shook her head violently. "That's not important anymore," she said. "What's important is we get out of here. You understand? We go over to your house ... maybe ... maybe your parents went back to look for you."

"Sis," Satoshi said, his voice quavering as the pieces started to fall into place. "Why are you talking like that ... what happened to Mom and Dad?"

Ritsu took a deep breath. She then took another. And another. She wouldn't fall apart yet. She wouldn't.

"Satoshi," she replied, softly. "You're the man of the house now."

Satoshi blinked at Ritsu, as the words sank in.

"Daddy!" He screamed, sprinting for the stairs.

"Satoshi, no!" Ritsu shouted, lurching to her feet. "Get back here!"

Satoshi ran up the stairs. Ritsu raced after him, but Satoshi was already at the door, twisting, shaking the doorknob.

"Mommy! Daddy!" He screamed, trying to throw the door open. "Mommy! Daddy!" He howled, his fists pounding into the door.

"Satoshi," Ritsu started to say, just as Satoshi wheeled back on her.

_**"I hate you**_!" he screamed, pushing past her. Sudden visions of him running out of the house, into a horde of the shambling undead cut into her.

"No!" She screamed, but Satoshi wasn't going anywhere. He'd run right into Mio, whose arms were now wrapped tightly around him.

"You ... don't mean that, do you?" Mio said.

"I hate her!" Satoshi screamed, struggling against Mio's grasp. "She lied to me! She let Mommy and Daddy die!"

"She did no such thing," Mio replied, her voice starting to quaver. "She was protecting you. She didn't ... she didn't run away."

Ritsu threw herself onto both of them, Mio and Satoshi. She wrapped her arms around them as tight as she could; as if the whole world would fall apart if she dared let them go.

"Pull yourselves together, guys," she said, quiet desperation in her voice. "Satoshi-kun ... Dad didn't want you to see. Mio-chan ... you just knew to come to the right place ... I'll get you home safe and sound. Just ... please," her embrace tightened. "I'll take care of both of you. I love you both ... you're all I have left."

"No!" Satoshi managed to twist free. "I want my Mommy and Daddy! Leave me alone!" He ran, but towards his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

Ritsu fell back, her arms dropping to her side. Mio sank to her knees, staring at her.

"Do you really ... will you really ... " she said, her voice small.

"Yes, I do. And yes, I will get you home," Ritsu replied. "I mean what I say."

"Ritsu ... " Suddenly, Mio was on Ritsu, her arms wrapping around her.

Ritsu's arms slid around Mio in return, and by degrees, she felt the tension drain from her. It was a start, and she hoped fervently that she would prove up to the challenge.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>  
>- Thank you so much for reading this far. Comments and reviews would be greatly appreciated.<br>- Yui and Mio can be hard to write without "Flanderizing" them.  
>- This chapter has been revised from its original versions. These changes are meant to tighten things up a bit.<p> 


	4. Chapter 3

**Mean Streets:**  
><em>Road rage isn't the only rage to worry about.<em>

Mugi watched Sawako stare listlessly at her television. When it was clear that Sawako wasn't up to the task of packing a bag, Mugi sent Sumire off to pack one for her. It was as much to give Sumire something to take her mind off of what they'd been through, as it was to help Sawako.

There were screams, and the crash of breaking furniture, coming from the apartment next door.

"We should've parked closer," Sawako said, clutching her belly.

"We'd have been mobbed getting in," Mugi replied, pouring a cup of tea. Her hands shook, and she fought to hold them steady. She tried to push the horrors to the back of her mind ... to focus on the simple, cleansing, act.

"Here you go, Sawako-sensei," she said. "Maybe this will settle your belly."

"Thank you, Mugi-chan," Sawako said, gingerly accepting the cup.

"Sumire-chan, tea," Mugi said, looking over her shoulder. Sumire looked up from the suitcase she'd placed on Sawako's bed. The look of disbelief, Mugi thought, was adorable.

The screaming next door stopped. There was the sound of a door being flung open, and someone staggering down the walkway. Sawako, Sumire, and Mugi froze, and listened in silence.

"I feel terrible," Sawako finally said, staring into her teacup.

_She looks terrible,_ Mugi thought, with a quick glance toward her keyboard bag. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head violently. What was she becoming? She'd killed _one_ monster, and now she was seeing them everywhere.

"Mugi-chan, are you alright?"

"I'm sorry!" Mugi replied. "I ... uh ... I was just thinking of how we're going to get to the school, that's all."

"Leave that to me, girls," Sawako said, pulling herself upright. "There's some side-streets I'm sure aren't jammed up."

"Okay," Mugi replied. "Just a moment please, I'm going to try again to reach the others."

She excused herself, making the short trip into Sawako's kitchenette. She took out her cellphone and thought for a moment. Who was she most worried about? Yui? No ... Ui would be there, so Yui would be okay. Mio? The quiet, sensible, girl surely wouldn't do anything that would get her into danger. That explanation applied double to Azusa.

Ritsu it would be, then.

Mugi pressed 'Send,' and prepared to repeat the exercise as many times as it took to get an answer.

"H-hello?"

"Ricchan, it's me, Mugi."

"Mu ... Mugi?"

Mugi frowned. "Ricchan, are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" Ritsu replied, but Mugi could sense how forced her sudden cheerfulness really was. "Really ... say, have you met any ... um ... zombies?"

"Zombies," Mugi echoed. The unfamiliar syllables stuck unpleasantly in her mouth.

"You haven't," somehow Ritsu sounded very, very disappointed. "I'm sorry to have ... "

"No, no, no!" Mugi abruptly cut her off. "I just ... I don't know that word."

"Oh," Ritsu replied. "Probably should've seen that coming. Anyway ... zombies ... y'know ... anyone sick with the flu turning into bloodthirsty, undead, killing machines?"

"That's what they are?" Mugi replied. "Ritsu! Did you ... "

"Y-yeah, you could say that. I guess you did too."

"Yes," Mugi replied, turning the new word over in her head. _Zombie._ "Listen, are you guys headed to the school?"

"The school? Why would we go there?"

"I'm at Sawa-chan's apartment," Mugi replied. "She said the government's made the school an evacuation zone ... I thought you guys knew ..."

"It's been a bad day, and I haven't been out much," Ritsu replied. "Mio didn't say anything about the school ... she's with me now."

Mugi swallowed. "Are the others with you too?"

"No," Ritsu replied. "Just Mio, my baby brother, and me."

"Where are you?"

"We're going to Mio's house ... her parents, and a whole bunch of others, tried to get a head start on evacuating. They must've run into a whole bunch of zombies, 'cuz she got separated from them. We're hoping her parents made back home okay."

"When you get there, stay there," Mugi replied. "We'll come to you, and we'll go to the school together."

"Are you sure? If you're at Sawa-chan's place, that's going to be a long way out of your way just to get to us ... and Sawa-chan's car won't fit all of us."

Mugi blinked. She hadn't thought of that.

"We'll think of something, I'm sure," she replied. "And I would feel better with you guys with us."

"We'd just be a bigger target," Ritsu said.

"No!" Mugi replied. "We can protect you! I will protect you!"

"You and what army?"

"Well ... um ... " Okay, how to go about telling Ritsu this? "How about two shotguns and a couple hundred shells?"

Mugi heard something crash to the floor on Ritsu's end. She took a deep, shuddering breath; honesty had never done her wrong before.

"I ... wow ... guess I should've seen _that_ coming too," Ritsu finally replied. "You and your ... uh ... guns are welcome anytime, Mugi-chan. Just, uh, bring 'em on over. We'll be waiting."

"Okay. We'll be there as soon as we can," Mugi said. "Be safe, Ricchan."

"Same to you, Mugi. Doubly so."

The line went dead.

* * *

><p>Ritsu frowned at her phone, and then picked up the baseball bat from where it had fallen. It had impacted on a glass coffee table, somehow, not cracking it. Mugi was going to bring <em>guns<em>? That must mean that she must've actually had to kill zombies. She had the momentary thought of trying to call her back, just to ask her if the zombies needed to be shot in the head ... but the thought of her dead parents, still locked in their room, told her all she needed to know.

The tears threatened to overtake her once more, and she angrily stomped her foot into the carpet until her ankle hurt and the urge went away once more. She would _not_ cry! Too much was riding on Ritsu remaining strong, somehow, until her baby brother and her best friend was safe.

"Ritsu," Mio said, standing at the doorway. "What happened?"

"I-I just dropped my bat," Ritsu replied, turning to face Mio. "Actually, Mugi just called. She's at Sawa-chan's right now. Just told me the military's gonna start evacuating people at the school; and she wants to meet up with us at your house."

"But, Sawako-sensei's apartment is on the opposite side of the school from where we are."

"That's what I said," Ritsu replied. "But Mugi-chan insisted. And ... " she walked right up to Mio, and whispered into her ear. "She's got guns!"

_"Eeek!"_ Mio's squeal struck Ritsu like an icepick to the temple. When Ritsu opened her eyes, Mio had already turtled-up, crouched down with her hands over her head.

"I ... I ... I'm not letting an ar ... ar ... armed madman into my house!"

"Mio! It's _Mugi_ who has the guns! You know, _our_ Mugi. Sweet, gentle, richer-than-God, Mugi," Ritsu said, her cheeks burning. She just _had_ to do it ... to try to get predictably hilarious reaction out of Mio. Only now it wasn't funny.

"Mio," Ritsu said, kneeling next to Mio, gently leaning on her shoulder. "I'm sorry for telling you in the way that I did, but it's true. Mugi-chan wants us to wait at your house for her, she's bringing guns because it's gotten bad outside, and she wants to protect us."

"You should be sorry for telling me like that," Mio replied. "But g ... g ... guns, Ritsu? Are we going to start shooting people just because they're sick now?"

"Hey," Ritsu said. "I'm all for letting Mugi do the shooting. That girl's stronger than an ox! I'm sure a shotgun would knock me on my butt, just like in the American movies."

"Ritsu!"

"Sorry, sorry," Ritsu replied. "Mio, listen to me. This 'flu' is different. At some point, those sick people stop being 'sick,' and start being super-aggressive zombies, driven by a hunger ... a hunger for _human flesh!_ "

Mio squealed again.

_Thwack!_

And then it was Ritsu's turn to squeal. Mio's blow to the top of her head was hardly telling, but Ritsu sprawled, just the same. This time, the tears did come.

"Mio, I'm sorry," she said, staring up at the ceiling. "I am so sorry," she repeated, sniffling. "I-I'm trying to get us all ready to stick together, and what the hell do I do? Some leader I'm making ... how the hell did we even stay friends?"

"Stupid Ritsu," Mio said, crawling over to look down on Ritsu. She stroked her forehead, and then wiped the tears from Ritsu's cheeks. "We're friends because nobody understands us like we do. Even if you don't always use your powers for good. Y-you don't have to explain zombies to me ... I've seen them, I can almost believe what you're saying. I ... I ... I'm just not sure I could murder someone, zombie or not. But ... but that's why you have to lead. You're strong where I'm not!"

Ritsu sniffled and smiled up at Mio. "You're certain I could kill zombies ... which qualifies me to be the leader. That's the most backhanded compliment I think I've ever heard, Mio-san." She exhaled sharply, reaching up to touch Mio's shoulder. "Don't sell yourself short. You're plenty strong too, Mio. Even if you don't think so." She hoisted herself into a sitting position, looking into Mio's eyes. "But, I really am sorry, Mio. I'm sorry that I don't use my 'powers' for good. I'm going to try to be good from now on. I promise you that."

Mio shook her head. "Don't be ... too good, Ritsu," she said. "Ritsu is Ritsu, and it would feel weird if she weren't."

"Did you get hit on the head on the way over, or something," Ritsu replied. "I could've sworn you just talked like Yui."

"Yui understands _way_ more than she lets on," Mio said. "Regardless of what the rest of us might say about her."

Ritsu regarded Mio with a speculative look, but then shook it off.

"Yeah," she replied. "Well, it's time we got going." _Stay here too long, and there'll probably be a whole horde of frickin' zombies between us and your house,_ Ritsu thought, not daring to say it.

"Yeah, okay," Mio said, rising to her feet and offering a hand to Ritsu.

"Thanks, Mio," Ritsu replied. "Let's see if Satoshi wants to come out of his room."

"Maybe it would help if we did something for your parents," Mio suggested, almost immediately blanching.

"Like what?" Ritsu replied. Mio winced at her tone of voice. Ritsu smiled weakly. "I'm sorry, Mio ... but seriously, what can we do right now? Can't get through to emergency services, and even if we could, I can't imagine collecting the dead will be high on their list of things to do."

"You could ... you could wash them," Mio replied, her voice small. Ritsu noted that there was no "we" anywhere in there. She shook her head, sadly.

"I'm not ready to see my parents like that yet, Mio. I don't think Satoshi is either. The best we can do is leave a note on the front of the house ... for when we can go home." _If we go home._

Mio nodded solemnly, still looking very pale. Ritsu extended her hand to her childhood friend. "Let's go get Satoshi."

* * *

><p>"Leave me alone!" Satoshi yelled from behind his door.<p>

"But Satoshi, we have to go. It's not safe here anymore," Ritsu replied, patiently.

"Because of you!"

Ritsu stared at the door, not sure what to try next. She felt Mio's hand on her shoulder.

"Satoshi," Mio said. "Listen to me. Your sister's right. If we stay here, there may be a lot of bad people coming over."

"I'll protect the house. I'll protect Mommy and Daddy!"

"Satoshi, do you think your parents would want you to get killed? I think that would make them very sad if they knew you were going to get hurt just because you didn't want to leave."

"I'm not going to get killed."

Mio looked back at Ritsu, and then at the door. "How about you prove it, then? I need to go back to my own house, and your sister has to come with me ... but ... it'll be just us two girls. Out on the streets. Alone. With the," she paused and swallowed, "zombies."

The door unlocked and swung open. Satoshi looked up at Ritsu and Mio. His eyes were red and puffy, and Ritsu wanted nothing more than to sweep her baby brother up in her arms, but a look from Mio stopped her.

"Yo," she managed.

"I'll ... I'll go with you," Satoshi said. "But only to protect Mio-senpai!"

Ritsu half-smiled. "Well, I guess you'll be needing this, then," she said, offering the baseball bat. Her brother snatched it out of her hand.

"Thanks," he said. "It was mine anyway." He backed into his room. "Just ... l-let me know when you're ready." The door clicked shut, leaving Ritsu to stare at Mio.

"How did you ... " Ritsu started to say.

"Men. Are. Animals," Mio mouthed silently.

"Okay," Ritsu said, turning away from Satosh's door. "Satoshi, we'll be waiting for you down in the kitchen."

Mio and Ritsu made their way downstairs and into the kitchen. Ritsu opened the cabinet, and hefted a frying pan.

"Mio, take something," she said.

"No! I ... I ... I just told you I'm not ready to murder!"

"Mio," Ritsu said, reaching up to put her hand on Mio's shoulder. "I'm not asking you to do that. I just want you to have something to, you know, maybe push them out of the way."

"I said no!"

"Mio, do you know what happens when a zombie bites you? You become one too. Do you _really_ want to end your days as a ravenous, bloodthirsty, flesh-craving ... "

_Crash!_

Mio was clutching another skillet. Everything that was stored on top of it was now scattered all over the floor.

"Mio!" Ritsu said.

"Don't 'Mio' me! That wasn't very nice, Ritsu," Mio said, shaking the skillet at Ritsu.

They heard the sound of feet dashing down stairs. Satoshi appeared a moment later, holding the baseball bat with white-knuckled grip.

Ritsu looked at Mio, and then at Satoshi. She hefted her own frying pan and grinned.

"I guess this means we're ready to go."

* * *

><p><em>Tap, tap, tap<em>.

That was the sound of Ritsu hammering a note to the door of her house. The note that announced that her parents were inside, dead, from the flu. It seemed like such an impersonal, cold, thing to do ... "my parents are dead and my whole world is coming apart at the seams ... let's leave a note so that, maybe, someone not running for their lives will have the time to take care of their bodies?" Why?

Yeah, why? Was it because Ritsu didn't think she'd be coming back? She gripped the handle of her frying pan and tried to stop thinking.

"Okay, guys, let's stick together, okay?" She said.

"Hey!" Satoshi said, waving his baseball bat. "I-I'm the man here!"

Ritsu smiled. "Well then, Tainaka Satoshi-san. What are your directions?"

"Umm ... "Satoshi stared at the ground for several moments. "Uh ... everybody stick together?"

"Okay!" Ritsu replied, forcing some cheerfulness into her voice. She exchanged a glance with Mio, who then regarded her own skillet with a distasteful look. The sun was setting, and light filtered through drawn curtains of the windows of some houses. Many more were dark ... she'd heard the sounds of vehicles pulling out, and concerned voices in the hours after Satoshi had locked himself in his room.

She wrapped her scarf tighter around herself, eyes darting to and fro.

"Aiyee!" Mio screamed. Ritsu wheeled on her, bringing her pan up.

"Mio! What's wrong!"

With a trembling hand, Mio motioned a little off to the side. "D ... d ... d ... de ... "

"It's a dead body!" Satoshi said, his eyes growing wide. Ritsu followed their gaze, and felt her bile rise in her throat. Lying face-down, just off the street, was the body of a man. Beaten and bloody.

"R ... R ... Ritsu ... " Mio whispered.

"Not now, Mio," Ritsu replied. "We've barely made it ten meters down the street. You can't freak out yet. You hear me. No freaking out!"

"I ... I ... " Mio swallowed, her face pale. "I'll try," she squeaked.

"Let's be respectful," Ritsu suggested. "Don't stare."

They hurried across the street, yet none of them could take their eyes off the dead man. Ritsu noticed scratch marks, and bite-marks. _Just like on Dad,_ came the uninvited thought. She took a shuddering breath … that meant that while they were fighting their little family drama, there were _zombies_ outside.

Sirens howled in the distance as they picked their way down the residential street. There were houses with doors flung open that stood darkly against the fading sunlight. In the lengthening shadows, Ritsu could see still forms. _Human_ forms, with trickles of deep red running from them, down driveways, and onto sidewalks.

There was the wet, heavy, sound of a day's meal being thrown up onto cold pavement. Mio coughed miserably.

"Ritsu," she said. "Wait, please?"

Ritsu slowly turned around. Mio had her hands on her knees, her vomit splattered on the pavement.

"Oh Mio," she said, swallowing hard. "Do you want some water?"

Mio spat, and wiped her lips.

"I want to get out of here, that's what I want."

"I-I'm with you on that," Satoshi echoed, his voice small and weak. He gripped his bat tightly, holding it out like a talisman against some ancient evil. Ritsu tightened the grip on her frying pan. They hurried down the street, focusing on the pavement in front of them.

"Oh hell," Ritsu said, skidding to a halt. She just happened to look up, as they were approaching the first main road heading towards Sakuragaoka. The street was snarled with a number of cars. Cars that were still running. Cars surrounded by broken glass, with doors pulled open ... and their occupants lying dead in the road. Men, women, and even children, were scattered among the automotive carnage. Pools of blood gleamed in the glow of the afternoon sun and of car headlights.

Ritsu's stomach rebelled, and what little she'd eaten came up. She fell into a violent coughing fit as her stomach kept heaving, though there was nothing left to give.

There were several low growls. Ritsu forced herself to look up. Scattered among the carnage, she could now see there were several figures still upright. Some staggered between the cars. Others leaned against them, or were propped against them, or just sitting in the street. Slowly, they started to unfold themselves from their positions of misery, facing Ritsu, Mio, and Satoshi.

There was more growling and snarling, as the undead began to stagger toward them. A couple of them screamed, and began sprinting toward them. That scream spread, faster than even the flu, with individual zombies howling, groaning, moaning, and screaming. The screams came together into a _howl_ that seemed to come from _everywhere_ at once. Ritsu's stomach suddenly felt as though it'd gone into freefall, with every hair on her body standing on end.

"Oh no," Ritsu moaned. From the trees and bushes, and from dark "empty" houses, they came. From up the street, down the street, and over the walls, they came. Human-shaped things, wearing human clothing, human bodies, but bearing psychotic, murderous, bloodthirsty animal minds.

"_**Run!**_ " Ritsu screamed. Behind her, Mio screamed. Even Satoshi screamed. She turned in the direction she knew Mio's house to be, and she _ran_.

Out of the corners of her eyes, she saw lurching, galloping, figures encroach on her field of view. Zombies … closing in on her, her brother, and her best friend. Behind them, other zombies raced in, all eagerly reaching out with dirty, bloodstained hands.

"No!" Ritsu screamed, swinging wildly with her pan.

_Wham!_ The pan made contact with something. A zombie staggered back, but another was already taking her place.

_Crack!_ And that zombie went down, but Ritsu gained another precious meter.

_Thud!_ The sound of a baseball bat impacting on a zombie's fleshy midsection.

_Ping!_ The edge of Ritsu's pan clipped a zombie's skull, sending it sprawling. There was a solid-sounding thump, as Satoshi swung at another zombie with everything in him.

"Keep moving!" Ritsu screamed, batting down a claw-like hand with her pan. Rough hands clutched at her jacket, and she swung wildly in their direction.

Mio screamed, and screamed. With each scream came the whistle of a skillet shoving air out of its way.

A hand seized Ritsu's wrist, trying to yank her arm with it. Ritsu screamed, striking out with her free hand, her feet, anything to free her from the zombie's grasp. She saw a flash of wood, heard the _crack_ of a bone being broken by the force of a bat, and felt the grip slacken. She yanked her arm free, and swung her frying pan into the zombie's face. Something hot and wet splattered her face, but she didn't dare stop.

Behind her, the hollow metallic note of a skillet hitting flesh rang out ... Mio's first blood. Ritsu grabbed the edge of her pan with her other hand, shoving forward. She'd always excelled at P.E. and at sports, and it showed, as she sent a couple zombies stumbling back out of her way. A wild, two-handed, swing connected solidly with another zombie's face, and Ritsu heard the sickening crunch of bone as the zombie dropped, like a puppet with its strings cut. The meaty, wooden, sound of a solid chunk of wood meeting not-so-solid flesh thudded in behind her, and she brought the narrow edge of the pan down on the arms of another zombie.

And, in the very last rays of sunlight, she saw an opening in the horde.

"This way!" She screamed, lunging forward, charging into the gap like one of those American football players she'd seen on television. And then she was free. A quick glance behind told her that Satoshi and even Mio had emerged with her ... with a mob of zombies now at their heels.

"Run! Run! Run!" She charged ahead, down the street. Her heart hammered the inside of her chest, accompanied by the sounds of thudding footsteps echoed behind her, and the beastly panting, grunting, and groaning of the newly undead.

"Satoshi!"

"Behind you!"

"Mio!"

Mio half-screamed and half-sobbed, and Ritsu took it as encouragement. Somewhere behind them, sirens wailed, and the thunderous footfalls of the horde slackened, and lessened. But still, they ran, each breath Ritsu took filled her mouth with a bitter metallic tang. Her legs burned with every step. Her hand and arm hurt with every jolting step, threatening to undo her white-knuckled grip on her blood-spattered pan.

There! The Akiyama house! They ran for it with all they had left. They staggered up the walkway. They slammed into the front door.

"M ... M ... Mio ... k ... k ... keys," Ritsu gasped. Mio's skillet clattered to the concrete and she thrust her hand into her pocket, coming up with her keys. Her hand shook violently, and behind them, several zombies snarled, dashing up the street.

"Hurry!" Ritsu cried, as Mio struggled her keys. Satoshi dashed down the walkway, back toward the street, screaming and swinging his bat.

"Satoshi!" Ritsu screamed, dashing after him. A zombie grabbed his bat, and yanked it from his hands. Another yanked at his hair and he screamed, stumbling backward into the fists of another zombie.

"No!" Ritsu screamed, charging into the middle, swinging violently. Metal impacted against flesh, but was met by the sharp, stabbing pain of zombies kicking at her shins. Stars exploded at the edges of her vision and she staggered forward from a fist delivered to the back of her skull.

"It's open!" Mio screamed. Ritsu frantically swung her pan in a broad arc, forcing the zombies back just far enough for her to snatch up Satoshi's wrist in her free hand, and for the two of them to stumble toward Mio's door. She threw her frying pan away, and with strength she didn't know she had, picked up Satoshi with both hands and bodily threw him through the doorway, staggering inside a split second later.

Somehow, she slammed the door, turning every lock she could find. She collapsed against it, just as it jolted with the pounding of angry fists and feet. She shut her eyes tightly, leaning back against that door, pushing against it. She heard sobbing somewhere, but she pushed it aside, bracing herself against the kicking and beating. Her thighs and calves burned, and her back, and her head throbbed. Just as it felt like it was going to be too much, the kicking and beating subsided, and then, as suddenly as it'd come, the onslaught was over.

Ritsu leaned back against of that door, panting heavily. When she looked back down, she saw Satoshi on his hands and knees, his own lunch now part of the Akiyama household carpeting. And Mio ...

"Oh no, Mio," Ritsu said, pushing herself off the door, crawling to her best friend's side. Only then did it strike Ritsu how dark it was inside the Akiyama house. How quiet and still it was. Mio's tears flowed uncontrollably, for they had made it, but they'd made it _alone._

* * *

><p>"You can't go that way, ma'am," the police officer told Sawako. He was dressed in a bulky police overcoat, and he wore a surgical mask under his broad policeman's cap. Mugi frowned from her position in the front seat. They'd stowed Mugi's keyboard bag, and the rest of their bags, in the seat next to Sumire's.<p>

"Why not?" Sawako replied, staring at the officer.

"There were reports of riots that way, ma'am. And that's not going toward the evac center. Everyone needs to head to the evac center ... the JSDF has already airlifted in troops."

_Riots?_ Mugi thought, her heart sinking. Immediately, she bowed her head forward, clasping her hands tightly together. Mio and Ritsu were in the direction of the so-called 'riots.'

"But we have family that way," Sawako said. "We can't just leave them behind!"

"I'm sorry," the officer replied, "but it's too dangerous that way. I cannot let you through."

"I'm begging you," Sawako said, blinking fiercely. "My Oba-chan lives there. She's 93 years old, and she can barely walk. If we can't get to her I ... I ... I don't know what's going to happen."

The police officer looked at her, and then at Mugi and Sumire.

"Well," he finally said. "Look, pull off to the side of the road, in front of my police car. Let me wave this next group of vehicles through to the evac point. When they're out of sight, I will let you through ... but just know that you'll be on your own. We're just not equipped to handle violence like this. I'm terribly sorry."

"We deeply appreciate it, sir," Sawako replied, bowing her head as best she could.

As they pulled in front of the policeman's squad car, Sawako dropped her forehead against the steering wheel. Mugi stared at her ... Sawako looked _very_ tired.

"Are you feeling all right, Sensei?"

Sawako looked up at Mugi, her eyes red and bloodshot. "I'll be fine, Mugi-chan," she replied. "Do you think better of me now?"

Mugi smiled. "I've always thought the very best of you, Sawako-sensei."

Sawako managed a chuckle. "Enough to let me dress Sumire-chan in a camo bikini?"

Mugi's smile froze on her face. They had to reveal their guns to Sawako, to convince her to let them bring Mugi's Korg bag with them. To Mugi's astonishment, Sawako seemed unfazed by the appearance of a pair of shotguns in her apartment. If anything, her eyes light up with that old Sawako mischief as she eyed Sumire and then exclaimed "I've got the _perfect_ accessory! I will make you two sexy action heroines!"

"When we can have tea again, I promise you the very best tea and treats," Mugi finally replied. "Your choice."

"But I so wanted to see Sumire-chan in a cute li'l two-piece bikini," Sawako replied miserably. Sumire shot Mugi a look that said _How do you put up with that?_

"Anything's open to negotiation, Sawako-sensei," Mugi replied, running a hand through her hair and puffing out her chest.

"Ma'am," the police officer interrupted. "I don't see anyone else coming, so you can go on through now. Just remember, you're on your own."

Sawako thanked the officer and carefully threaded her car through the small gap. Mugi looked into the encroaching twilight. Some houses had lights on, filtering through gaps in blinds. Most were dark. As they turned a corner, Mugi was dazzled by headlights, just as Sawako slammed on the brakes, throwing Mugi against her seatbelt. Sumire screamed as Mugi looked up again ... the headlights were closer, brighter, and bigger.

"Damn it," Sawako snarled, cranking the steering wheel over hard, driving the gas pedal to the floor. The box truck weaved drunkenly down the street, sparks exploding from its sides as it sideswiped the few parked cars that remained at the curbs.

There was a loud _bang_ as Sawako's car slammed into the curb. Mugi barely had time to register the event as the truck smashed into the back of the car, spinning them around and whipping Mugi against her seatbelt, bouncing her off the car door and her seat. There was the horrible sound of rending metal as the box truck scraped against Sawako's car, before swerving off down the road.

"Is ... is ... everybody okay?" Sawako was the first to speak.

Mugi gingerly unbuckled herself. Her body protested the move, but nothing felt broken.

"I am, Sawako-sensei," Mugi replied. "Sumire?"

"I ... " Sumire gasped. "I'll keep, Onee-chan."

Mugi looked back at Sawako, who stared down at her dashboard.

"Sawa ... "

"My car," Sawako moaned. "My beautiful car."

"Sawa-chan," Mugi reached over to put her hand on Sawako's shoulder. Sawako's head snapped up at Mugi and a sound like low growl came from her throat.

"Don't. Touch. Me," Sawako growled, causing Mugi to yank her hand back. Her eyes then met Mugi's, and she looked away.

"Mugi-chan, I'm sorry ... I don't know what got into me there," she said, after a few more moments.

"It's okay, Sawako-sensei," Mugi replied. "This isn't the best situation."

"No, I guess not." Sawako said. "What do we do now?"

"I guess we walk the rest of the way," Mugi replied, unbuckling her seatbelt. She pulled on the door handle, and there was a loud _pop_ as the door flipped open. "Sumire-chan," she called out. "Would you be so kind as to unzip my case?"

"Of course, Onee-chan," Sumire replied. She unzipped the bag, and the two shotguns glinted in the twilight.

"Is that a good idea?" Sawako asked, looking into her rear view mirror, as Mugi opened the back door.

"If we get jumped, I'd rather have them in-hand," Mugi replied, taking her shotgun, slinging it over her shoulder, and then accepting her bag from Sumire. Sumire slid over, and carefully extracted herself form Sawako's car. Hesitantly, she took the other shotgun, and did her best to mirror Mugi; as Mugi loaded hers up.

"Fair enough," Sawako finally replied as she opened her door. Mugi and Sumire exchanged a look.

"Hold on," Mugi said, catching the car door, staring out into the thickening darkness.

"I hear something," Sumire added. Their encounter with the truck hadn't gone unnoticed. Emerging from the shadows were a handful of ... people?

No!

The figures emerging from dark houses and behind bushes growled at them, and began to sprint toward Sawako's car. Mugi pushed Sawako's door shut and hesitated ... most of them still _looked_ like people. Not bloodthirsty monsters.

"Onee-chan?" Sumire said, eyes wide as she stared out at the rushing zombies.

The figures rushing at them looked like people ... but so did that first zombie ... the one that nearly killed Sumire.

_KA-BOOM!_ Mugi's shotgun went off, almost on its own accord, only a zombie dropped in response. The others kept coming.

_KA-BOOM!_ She fired again, catching two, sending them staggering.

Thunder spoke next to Mugi as Sumire followed her lead. Mugi reached into her pocket for a couple more shells, feeding them into her shotgun. A zombie reared up in front of her, blood staining its lips and teeth. Mugi screamed in surprise, her shotgun firing twice in quick succession. Sumire fired again, and again. And then there was a _click_ when she pulled the trigger on an empty chamber.

"Onee-chan! What do I do!" Sumire shouted.

"Reload!" Mugi replied, cutting down a zombie making a lunge at Sumire. "Just like I showed you! Hurry!"

Sumire struggled to fish shells out of her pocket, Mugi shoved several zombies who were trying to jump her, and then felt cold hands grip her arm tightly, trying to pull her away from Sumire.

"No ... Nooo!" Mugi was hauled back as two other zombies grabbed her. Sharp pain exploded from her ankle as one kicked at her.

"Onee-chan!" Shotgun shells clattered to the pavement as Sumire dropped them and swung her shotgun like a club. The swing connected, and one of the zombies holding Mugi slackened its grip, letting her twist free and drive her elbow into its gut. Quickly, she got a grip on her shotgun and drove the butt into the face of another one of her attackers.

"Sumire! Reload, reload, reload!" Mugi cried out, clubbing a third zombie, knocking it off its feet. A fourth swung at her, its fist catching her square in a breast. Her eyes watered and the zombie drove its other fist into her gut, knocking the wind out of her and driving her up against Sawako's car. Somehow she managed to recover enough to bring her knee up into its groin and then shove it back with her shotgun.

_KA-BOOM!_ The zombie's face became a horror show of shredded tissue as Sumire shot it. Mugi pushed herself off Sawako's car, reaching into her pocket for more shotgun shells. Sumire's shotgun spoke again, sending another zombie sprawling before it could reach Mugi.

"Watch out!" Sawako screamed from inside her car. That scream came at the same time as another one somewhere off to Mugi's side. She barely had the time to look to the sound before ... _flying_ ...

Mugi's breath exploded out of her, sharp pain radiated from the back of her skull, and she saw stars as she and her zombie assailant crashed to the unyielding ground. Somewhere she heard the clatter of her shotgun hitting the ground. The zombie recovered first, straddling her, making ready to pummel her with its fists.

_KA-BOOM!_ Blood splashed on Mugi's face, and the zombie collapsed on top of her.

"Onee-chan!"

"Mugi-chan!"

Swimming into her vision, she saw Sumire, and then Sawako, looming over her.

"Onee-chan! Are you okay?"

"Z-zombies," Mugi murmured.

"They're gone," Sawako said, somehow getting her arms under Mugi, lifting her to a sitting position as Sumire struggled to push the dead zombie off her. Mugi shook her head.

"Sawako-sensei, Sumire-chan, thank you," she managed, reaching up to feel the back of her head. There was no blood, but it sure did smart.

"Onee-chan," Sumire replied tearfully.

"Sumire-chan," Mugi smiled. "You did good. You'll be a … a combat maid in no time," she added. It was Sumire, after all, who introduced her to the wonderful world of manga.

"I like the sound of that," Sawako added.

"No," Sumire replied, looking down at the shotgun in her hands. "But I'll do anything," she squeezed her eyes shut, "_anything_ to protect my Onee-chan and serve my Tsumugi-ojousama."

"Sumire ... "

"Let's get you up," Sawako said. "We should get to Mio-chan's house."

"Right," Mugi replied, as Sawako and Sumire helped her to her feet. "It's this way, I think," she added. "Sumire-chan, did you happen to see where my shotgun landed?"

"I did," Sumire replied. "I will fetch it for you." Mugi frowned at the suddenly hollow, distant, tone of Sumire's voice. She wanted to go comfort her, even cry with her. She blinked the tears away; there'd be time for that later, right? They just had to make it Mio and Ritsu, and they'd all go to the school and get evacuated somewhere safe. Surely, there'd be time to mourn innocence lost.

Sumire returned, holding out Mugi's shotgun. Mugi forced a smile to her face and accepted the gun, reloading it and slinging it onto her back.

"Let's go," she said.

Somehow, the rest of the walk to Mio's house went without fanfare. They passed a tangle of cars and dead bodies. Somewhere off in the distance they could hear the sound of gunfire and the sounds of sirens wailing. There were screams and shouts in the distance as well, and Mugi wondered just how fast people were turning.

There was retching and splattering behind her, and Mugi stopped, turning to look at Sawako. Her hands were on her knees, and she was hunched over a puddle of something oily-black and smelling of death and decay.

"Ugh," Sawako groaned, coughing. "I-I guess I just can't hold anything down. I'm sorry, girls."

"It's all right," Mugi replied. "We'll be at Mio-chan's home soon, and you can rest."

"Rest," Sawako echoed. "Yeah ... rest sounds good. Yeah ... it's just a stomach bug. I'll rest and I'll be good to get you girls to the school in the morning."

"You will," Mugi replied. She caught herself gripping her shotgun just that much tighter. This was their Sawako-sensei ... their Sawa-chan! She sternly told herself that, if she, Sumire, Mio, and Ritsu were immune, then surely that meant that not everyone who was sick with something was going to become a zombie.

"Come on, let's go. Mio-chan's home is at the end of this block."

They crossed those last few meters in silence, save the occasional soft moan of misery from Sawako, and the odd gasp from Sumire as she began to sound distinctly winded. Mugi had to force another pleasant smile onto her face as she knocked firmly on Mio's door.

"Guys," she said. "It's me, Mugi! We're here."

She waited. Moments passed, stretching out into the silence. And then, there was the sound of a deadbolt being retracted and the lock being undone. Very slowly, the door opened, and Mugi found herself looking down at a pale, terrified-looking boy.

"Hello, Satoshi," she said, the name of Ritsu's brother coming to her just in time.

"Um, hi," Satoshi replied sounding very tired.

"May we come in?"

Satoshi looked blankly at Mugi, and then nodded jerkily. "Sure," he said, stepping out of the way. Mugi closed her eyes, and then stepped into the Akiyama household.

"Mugi," she heard Ritsu say. Ritsu, too, sounded very tired. She opened her eyes, and saw Mio and Ritsu. Mio was curled up on her couch, and Ritsu sat next to her, rubbing her shoulder.

"I'm glad you could make it," she said.

Mugi nodded. Her eyes swept the scene before her, as she heard the door being closed and locked behind her.

"I will go start tea," she finally said.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes<strong>:  
>- Yui's group will return in Chapter Five.<br>- The girls finally fight their first zombie hordes. Guess the Director isn't fooling around anymore.  
>- Japanese police really aren't very well equipped. For instance, unlike American police officers, Japanese police still carry .38 Special revolvers (and not when off-duty.) Japanese riot police make it a point not to carry firearms at all, and the Japanese version of SWAT teams are all controlled on a national level, as opposed to the American model, where individual departments frequently have SWAT teams.<br>- This chapter has been revised from its original version. Things have been cleaned up a bit.  
>- Comments and reviews would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!<p> 


	5. Chapter 4

**Club Dead:**  
><em>People kill to get into this club.<em>

"Hello? Ohh, hello! I'm surprised you got through ... yeah, phone service has gotten much much worse," Nodoka said, holding her phone to her ear.

"We've made it to Azusa-san's house, where are you? Yes, we made it safely ... I agree ... it is _very_ dangerous out there." Nodoka replied. She then frowned as she listened to the voice on the other end of the line.

"No ... no, no need to come get us. I don't want to put you in any more danger than you need to be in ... I didn't know the evacuation order had gone out ... where are they telling us to evacuate to? The school? We can make the school from here ... yes, yes I'm sure," Nodoka said, leaning against the wall.

"Really ... it would be safer for us to just go straight to the school ... yes, Ui-chan packed their bags ... we will be fine. We will head straight for the school, and I'd think you should do the same."

Nodoka saw Azusa out of the corner of her eye and quickly waved her off.

"Really, I'll be fine! We'll meet you at the school ... love you too ... we'll be safe, you do the same."

"Nodoka-chan?" Yui said, poking her head around the corner just as the line went dead.

"That was my mom," Nodoka replied, staring down at her phone. "The evacuation has started ... we're supposed to go to the school."

"The school?" Azusa echoed, slipping back into the room.

"Yes," Nodoka said, nodding. "It does make a certain amount of sense. I'm just surprised how quickly we went from 'get ready for possible evacuation' to 'everybody out now.'"

"If it's the school, then that means it should be easy," Yui said. "And the others will be there ... and there might even be cake!"

"Yui-senpai ... is now really the best time?" Azusa quirked an eyebrow and eyed Yui.

"For cake? There's never a _bad_ time for cake, Azu-nyan," Yui replied. "All this running around makes me hungry, you know? But, if you're offering to recharge my energy instead ... "

"Ugh," Azusa replied. "I walked right into that one ... forget I asked."

"On principle, I agree with Yui," Nodoka said, choosing to ignore the byplay. "Everybody knows where the school is, and it's easy to get to. And the others better be there, if things are getting that bad."

"You think we should call Mio-senpai and the others?"

"The police have been making the rounds. They probably already know," Nodoka replied. "And given how phone service has been acting lately ... we might see them at school before we manage to get a call through."

"We could at least try, Nodoka-senpai," Azusa said.

Nodoka put her phone away. "Okay ... tell you what ... Yui, I'll put you in charge of that. Azusa, can I ask you something?"

"You can count on me, Nodoka-chan," Yui replied, pulling her phone out. "I'll try Ricchan first ... "

As Yui frowned at her phone, Azusa stepped up to Nodoka.

"I'm sorry, Nodoka-senpai, I-I'm just worried."

"It's not about that," Nodoka replied. "Though, to tell you the truth, I'm worried too. If the others run into as much trouble as we did ... " she shook it off.

"Listen, Azusa, do you have anything like a baseball bat here? Something that can be swung."

Azusa looked at Nodoka, frowning. "My dad has a set of golf clubs ... what are you thinking, Nodoka-senpai?"

Nodoka exhaled sharply, pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, and looked Azusa in the eye.

"I'm thinking that we may need something to protect ourselves."

"You're ... kidding ... no, you wouldn't," Azusa said, her eyes widening.

"No joke," Nodoka replied. "There was something about the people who chased us earlier that told me that if they'd caught us ... " she closed her eyes. "That unpleasant, bad, things would happen to us. If this flu is doing that to people ... "

"And so many people have the flu," Azusa said, feeling suddenly faint. Suddenly the sturdy door that'd held back those first few people didn't seem so sturdy anymore. "Yui-senpai!"

"Azu-nyan!" Yui replied. Azusa closed her eyes, wondering what caused her to call out to Yui like that. "I'm not having any luck reaching any of the others!"

"Keep trying, Yui," Nodoka said. "Azusa, why don't you get your parents' golf clubs?"

"Golf clubs?" Yui said. "What are you going to do with them?"

"If we're lucky, we'll carry them with us until we reach the school. If not ... well ... we'll be ready for the next mob that chases us."

Yui almost dropped her phone. She cried out in surprise, grabbing at it, somehow managing to catch it before it hit the ground. She looked up at Nodoka.

"You're talking about playing golf with sick people?"

"Yui," Nodoka replied, kneeling to Yui's level. "I ... I ... I'm talking about hitting the sick people with them."

"I wasn't?" Yui asked. "I'd think that would be hard to do."

"Why? Golf clubs are light and solid. It'd be easier than trying to, say, swing your guitar at them."

"Nodoka-chan, that was not cool," Yui replied. "Gitah's not a club! And I've seen Ricchan's DVDs ... Gitah would be good for, like, five hits!"

"Yui, nobody's asking you to hit people with your guitar."

"You're asking me to hit them with _something_."

"We _might_ have to hit them," Nodoka replied, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "With luck, we can outrun them like we did to get here."

"Onee-chan, I've fixed us all something to ea ... what's going on?" Ui said, walking in.

"Ui! Nodoka-chan wants us to hit the sick people with golf clubs!"

"I," Nodoka started to say, looking into the eyes of both Hirasawa sisters. "Okay, fine, I'll admit it. Yes, that is exactly what I'm suggesting. That we be ready in the event that we might have to defend ourselves."

"Nodoka," Ui said.

"They might get better," Yui added.

"But they're dangerous _now_ Yui," Nodoka replied. "Really dangerous. So dangerous that the government's started evacuations of areas taken over by these ... sick ... people. Ui, Yui, you've seen it yourselves."

"Well," Ui replied, frowning thoughtfully. "We were running for our lives at the time."

"Okay then," Nodoka said. "Here's something else. I was the last one outside before you all pulled me into Azusa's house. I saw the people coming after us. There was something in their eyes ... something that told me that they wouldn't stop until we were all _dead._"

Both Hirasawa sisters squealed.

"Nodoka-chan! Don't scare Onee-chan like that," Ui was the first to speak, but Yui was already looking thoughtful.

"Is that so, huh?" Yui said. "Could you do it, Nodoka-chan? Play golf with the sick people?"

Nodoka cleared her throat and looked right at Yui. "If I had to protect one of you ... sure ... I could do it."

"Ohhh," Yui replied, just as Azusa walked into the room with a golf bag over one shoulder. "What if ... what if ... one of _us_ became sick?" She wrapped herself around Azusa before the younger girl could react. "I don't think I could do anything to hurt my Azu-nyan."

"What?" Azusa replied "Yui-senpai? What are you going on about?"

"I ... " Nodoka trailed off, and then frowned. "Look. Let's cross that bridge when we come to it. None of us are sick _right now_. And the sick people are trying to kill us _right now._ So let's just focus on getting to the school and out of this mess. Let's focus on protecting each other, okay?"

"I'm not sure what I've missed, but Nodoka-senpai sounds like she's made a good point," Azusa said, suddenly leaning into Yui's embrace. "I-I just got a call from my parents ... they're stuck in their hotel in Kyoto ... and ... and they told me to evacuate with you guys because they ... they don't think they're going to make it back."

Yui squeezed Azusa closer. "There, there, it's okay, my Azu-nyan," she said.

Ui threw her arms around both Yui and Azusa. "That's right, Azusa-chan. They're setting up evacuation sites everywhere, I'm sure ... and I'm sure your parents will be able to get to one of those."

"R-really?"

"Mhm!"

"And we will protect you, Azu-nyan," Yui added.

_Thump!_

The girls cried out at the sudden noise.

_Thump! Thud!_

"W-what was th-that?" Yui asked, looking up at Nodoka.

_Thud!_

Nodoka's head snapped toward the den. "I-I think they've come back."

"It's a strong door, right," Ui asked.

The knocking and banging got louder, and the door rattled with each blow.

"Okay guys, let's stay calm," Nodoka said, grabbing for one of Azusa's golf clubs. "Azusa ... there is a back door, right?"

"Y ... y ... yes," Azusa replied. "Y ... Yui ... senpai. Too ... tight,"

_Wham! Wham! Wham!_

"Easy to see from the street?"

"N ... n ... no," Azusa replied.

"Good, we have a chance," Nodoka replied. "Everybody quietly, _quietly_ grab your bags, get a club, and head for the back door."

The girls could hear grunting and growling with the pounding and hammering now.

"I moved all our bags closer to the back door already," Ui said.

_Crack!_

"They're at the windows," Azusa nearly screamed.

"Good thinking, Ui! Everybody grab a golf club and _move_!" Nodoka said, gesturing urgently. She pulled a driver from the golf bag, pressing it into Yui's hands.

"This means you!"

"Nodoka-chan ... "

"We don't have time for this, Yui," Nodoka replied. "Just take it!"

Jerkily, Yui snatched the driver from Nodoka's hand. Already, Ui was beckoning from another doorway, club in hand. Yui darted in ahead of Nodoka, snatching up both her guitar bag and her backpack. Nodoka bit back a sigh, just as they heard the shattering of glass, and howls of pain as zombies slashed themselves on the broken glass.

"Move, move, move!" Nodoka said, rushing for the back door. As the girls pushed into the room, Ui pushed the door shut. Behind them, more glass shattered, and they heard the sounds of cracking and splintering wood.

"My home," Azusa said, numbly. "I can't believe they're in my ... eeeeyah!" She was cut off mid-sentence as fists began to pound on the door.

"I'm very sorry, Azusa," Nodoka replied, while unlocking the back door. "But we have to keep moving," she stepped off to one side and looked at Ui.

"Ui, I'll stand here, and you open this door."

The door leading to the room they'd just left shook violently.

"Door's not gonna hold," Yui said, her voice a mix of awe and panic.

"Ui, _now!_" Nodoka shouted. Ui twisted the doorknob and yanked the door back. Miraculously, no undead killers awaited them.

"Everybody out! Yui! Azusa! Go!"

"Onee-chan! Come on!" Ui cried, grabbing Yui's hand. Yui just barely managed to grab Azusa's arm and the girls dashed outside. Nodoka spun around, grabbing the door and pulling it shut.

"I hope they're all inside the house," she said. "Let's make our way to the street."

"Y ... y ... yes," Ui replied. "Onee-chan? Azusa-chan, are you okay?"

"I've been better," Azusa replied, looking at the wall of her house. Yui's hand dropped into Azusa's.

"As long as I have my Azu-nyan and my Ui and my Nodoka-chan, I'm good," she said.

They crept along the side of Azusa's house, ducking under the windows. Sirens screamed and an ambulance swerved down the street, followed by a pair of police cars. The girls heard growling and grunting from further down the street.

"I don't think they liked that noise," Yui remarked, just before she yelped in surprise as a pair of men rounded the corner, charging at them. Nodoka screamed, swinging wildly.

_Crack!_

_Plink!_

"Nodoka ... chan ... " Yui watched both men stagger and fall, just as several more dashed up the street, chasing the emergency vehicles.

Nodoka swallowed, slightly more pale than before, holding onto her club with a white-knuckled grip.

"C'mon ... let's keep moving ... away from the police."

Up the street, the sirens wailed, intermixed with the howls and screams of the enraged. Suddenly, there were pops, like firecrackers.

"They're shooting at those people?" Ui said.

"This ... this reminds me of one of those video games Jun plays ... Biohazard ... " Azusa said, her voice hollow and distant.

"A scary game?" Yui asked.

"Yes, scary," Nodoka interrupted, heading down the path to the street. "Only now, we're living it ... okay, everybody ... eyes on the road."

The girls followed Nodoka, with Yui gripping both Azusa's and Ui's hands. Azusa's house wasn't the only one with broken doors and windows. Dead bodies were draped over window frames, blood trickling down the walls. There were a couple of dead people in the doorways.

"I see dead people ... "

"Thanks for that, Yui."

"I wonder if those police are coming back," Ui said, glancing back over her shoulder. The sounds of gunfire had stopped, but there were still distant sirens. Many distant sirens.

_Growl ... _

"What was that?" Azusa stopped suddenly, looking around.

"It could be my tummy," Yui replied. "I haven't eaten in _hours_."

"How can you even think of food at a time like this!?" Azusa whirled on Yui.

"Guys," Ui said, "I hear it too. Someone's growling at us."

"So do I," Nodoka added, raising her golf club. "Everybody, stick together please."

There was another growl.

"I-I don't feel safe out in the middle of the street," Azusa said, starting to drift toward the curb. Nodoka turned back to face her.

"Azusa, we're safer on the street than ... "

_"Yaaaaaaaah!"_ A dark figure leapt out from behind the bushes. For a split second, the man was silhouetted against the sky, with arms outstretched. And then, Nodoka went down.

"Nodoka!" Ui and Yui screamed. The man on top of her was already trying to tear at her clothes, snarling like an animal as he batted away her hands.

"Guys!" Nodoka screamed. "Guys!"

Ui made a split-second decision, running up to the man and bringing her golf club down across his shoulders.

"Onee-chan! Azusa-chan! Help me!" Ui shouted, bringing her golf club down on the man's back.

"R-right," Azusa said, swinging her club down on the man's head. The man crawled off Nodoka, trying to stagger to his feet, rocking back away from the flailing clubs. In all this, Yui just stood there, even as the man made eye contact with her and crouched, getting ready to lunge at her.

"Onee-chan!" Ui screamed, swinging hard, the head of her club impacting the man right between his eyes, sending him sprawling.

"Nodoka-chan," Yui said, finally shaken into action. She knelt by her best friend. "Are you ... are you okay?"

Nodoka stared up at the sky for a few moments, and then adjusted her glasses so she could look at Yui.

"Yeah ... I'm okay," she said, feeling her jacket. The man's fingernails had managed to rip into the fabric. "I, uh, I think I should be glad he didn't have claws. Help me up, Yui."

"Right," Yui replied, taking Nodoka's free arm and hoisting her to her feet. Nodoka took a moment to brush the back of her coat and her pants.

"Nodoka-chan," Ui said, as Nodoka waved her off.

"I'm fine guys," Nodoka said. "Just a few bumps, nothing serious."

"We just ... we just killed a man," Azusa said, staring at the crumpled form of the man that was with them. Dark blood trickled from his nostrils and ran down his face.

"Azu-nyan," Yui replied, wrapping her arms around Azusa. "He wasn't a nice man. I think he really wanted to hurt Nodoka-chan."

Azusa started to throw Yui's arms off her, but stopped, sighing with resignation. "But did we have to kill him? I mean ... I know what I said ... but now ... "

"Now we should keep moving, Azusa-chan," Ui said, taking a few practice swings with her golf club … the short, vicious, kind. "We're still a long way from school."

"R ... right," Azusa replied.

* * *

><p>Ritsu felt warmer than she had in days. It was amazing what Mugi could do with even the bargain tea that the Akiyamas had in their pantry.<p>

Speaking of which ...

"Mio?"

Mio stared past her teacup, past the edge of the coffee table, and quite possibly, through the floor itself.

"Mioooo," Ritsu tried again. She leaned gently on Mio and whispered in her ear. "Lycopene."

Mio finally lifted her head, turning to look at Ritsu. "Ritsu."

"Talk to me, Mio," Ritsu said.

"What's there to talk about," Mio replied. "The world's ending and I'm never going to see my family again."

Ritsu bit her lip. "Mio ... "

"What ... oh ... I'm sorry, Ritsu," Mio replied.

"Hey, it's okay," Ritsu said, forcing a smile onto her face. "Take all the time you need. We're here for you ... myself and Mugi-chan."

"You've got Satoshi to take care of," Mio replied, staring into her teacup.

"I'm keeping my eye on _all_ of you," Ritsu announced. "You, Satoshi, Mugi, Saito-san, and even Sawa-chan."

Mio looked up at Ritsu again. "A week ago, I probably would've had to smack you because of it. Now ... you're doing a better job than I ever could."

"Hello, Akiyama-san, Tainaka-san," Sumire said, stepping into the room with a teapot. "I just wanted to see if you two wanted more tea."

Ritsu held out her cup. "Right here, Saito-san!"

"Ritsu!" Mio snapped sitting up. She leaned forward again a moment later. "Way to ruin the moment, Ritsu."

"What? We're not running for our lives right now, so I say it's okay to take a break ... and besides," she leaned close to Mio. "I think Saito-san _wants_ to do this."

Mio looked up at Sumire, managing the barest hint of a smile. "How do you and Mugi know each other, Saito-san?"

"I've been living in the Kotobuki household for as long as I can remember," Sumire replied. "The Kotobukis brought my family to Japan from Austria, and we've served them since."

"From Austria?" Ritsu asked. She'd gotten the short version of the story already, but this was for Mio's sake. "That explains why you don't look Japanese. But why's your name so generically Japanese ... ow!"

"Ritsu!" Mio said, rubbing her hand. "Let's be polite!"

Sumire smiled, setting down the teapot. "I don't mind, really, Akiyama-san. The Kotobukis insisted that my parents take on a Japanese surname. When I was born, I was given a Japanese name, and raised Japanese."

"That's all well and good," Ritsu said, "but where does Mugi enter into the picture?"

"I am Tsumugi-ojousama's personal maid," Sumire replied, settling into a chair. "But there is more to it than that. When we were much younger, we were the only two children in the house, and Tsumugi-oujosama spent much of that time in private tutorship. I was her escape … her window to the outside world." Sumire's cheeks reddened and she looked down. "We became like sisters, if you will. I would do things like buy her manga ... "

"Her favorite wouldn't happen to be _yuri_ would it?" Ritsu asked.

"Goodness, how did you know?" Sumire replied, her blush deepening.

Ritsu and Mio exchanged looks.

"Call it a gut feeling," Ritsu said.

Sumire nodded. "Tsumugi-oujosama wasn't even allowed to have manga, you know?" She sighed softly. "We got into so much trouble back then."

Ritsu lightly elbowed Mio. "Doesn't this remind you of someone we know?"

"What?" Sumire said, looking up at Ritsu and Mio.

"We just know someone whose sister gets the exact same way when she talks about her," Mio replied.

Sumire thought about it for a moment. "I think I would like to meet these sisters."

"You will, I'm sure," Ritsu replied. "When we get to the evac center, I'm sure they'll be waiting for us," she said, draping her arm around Mio and giving her a reassuring squeeze.

"Guys, I've got them both put to bed," Mugi said from the top of the stairs. "Satoshi and Sawa-chan ... and I see you're getting to know my friends, Sumire."

Sumire blushed again. "I am, Tsumugi-oujosama."

Mugi wrinkled her nose. "Again with the 'oujosama'?"

"But, Tsumugi-oujosama ... "

"These girls are my very best friends," Mugi replied. "They can handle it."

"Okay," Sumire bit her lip, and then took a breath, "Onee-chan," she said. Her blush at that moment was luminescent.

Ritsu and Mio exchanged another look. Ritsu decided to save Sumire further embarrassment.

"How are they doing, Mugi?"

"Your brother's doing fine. It's Sawako-sensei I'm worried about," Mugi replied.

"Worried?" Mio echoed.

"She didn't look good when you guys came here," Ritsu added.

"No, she isn't," Mugi, said. "She says it's something she ate ... but I think she has the Flu."

Ritsu frowned, catching the capital letter. "So you think that ... she might become a zombie?"

"Ritsu!" Mio said. "How can you say that?"

"Yes," Mugi replied, cutting them off. "I think that Sawako-sensei might become a ... _zombie_ ... and that she's going to do it soon."

"Mugi," Mio said. "This is Sawako-sensei we're talking about here."

Mugi looked away. "I know."

"What should we do, Tsum ... Onee-chan?" Sumire asked, after looking at both Ritsu and Mio.

"I ... think we should sneak out," Mugi replied, looking at Ritsu and Mio. "L-let Satoshi get some rest, and then sneak out of here before Sawako-sensei wakes up!"

"You want to leave Sawako-sensei here?" Mio asked, staring at Mugi. Ritsu leaned back, closing her eyes.

"If what Mugi says is true, it might be for the best," she said.

"But how can we just leave her?" Mio pressed.

"And what if she turns while she's with us? My Dad was ... was a big guy, and it looked like Mom almost killed him when she turned," Ritsu replied, a quaver in her voice. "Sawa ... Sawako-sensei's bigger than we are, and ... and ... " she took a deep, shuddering breath.

"Ritsu-san," Sumire said, crossing over to Ritsu, and touching her shoulder.

"I ... I'll be fine ... I'm sorry," Ritsu replied, fighting the burning in her eyes and the ache in her chest. She sniffled and looked at Mio. "I think we have to leave her."

"But ... but what if she isn't going to become a zombie," Mio said. "And we leave her and ... and the zombies get her?"

"Mio, Ritsu," Mugi said. "We don't have to leave right now. I think Satoshi needs some rest ... and so do you two. We can check on Sawako-sensei again in a few hours and decide then."

"If we rest, who will keep watch?" Ritsu asked, after several long moments.

"Sumire and I will," Mugi replied. "We'll take turns keeping watch over you guys."

"Is that ... are you sure that's okay?"

"Yes, it would be for the best that way," Mugi replied, smiling slightly. "And besides, right now, Sumire and I are the only ones with guns."

* * *

><p>"You girls, stop right there," the policeman said, stepping in front of Nodoka, Yui, Azusa, and Ui. Nodoka looked behind her, and then at the policeman.<p>

"Yes, sir?"

"Where are you girls headed?"

"To the evacuation center, sir," Nodoka replied.

"With those ... what are those, golf clubs?"

"Yes sir," Nodoka replied evenly, holding her club behind her back. "We've ... run into rioters."

"Good heavens," the policeman replied, blanching. "It seems like everyone I've talked to this afternoon has had run-ins with scofflaws. Is it true that they're like mindless animals?"

Nodoka pressed her lips together and looked at the policeman.

"They've been … very violent." she said. "We've been chased several times."

"I see," the policeman replied. He looked closer at Nodoka. "You're hurt!"

"I tripped and fell," Nodoka replied. "It's just a few bumps and bruises," she said, hoping that the policeman wouldn't take a closer look at the heads of their golf clubs.

"That's happened to a lot of people this afternoon," the policeman finally said. "You should try to be more careful. Good thing for you we've got checkpoints set up along the main routes to the school. As long as you stay on the pedestrian paths, you should have no further trouble getting there."

"Thank you, sir," Nodoka replied, glancing back at Yui and the others.

"You're welcome. Oh, and one more thing," the policeman added, leaning closer to Nodoka. "I would lose those clubs before you get to the school. The military has taken it over ... and I hear they're all armed and very nervous right now."

"Uh, thank you for the advice, sir," Nodoka replied, nodding quickly.

"It's my pleasure," the policeman said. "Now off you go."

The girls left the policeman, not looking back.

"You handled that really well, Nodoka-senpai," Azusa was the first to speak.

"Thank you, Azusa," Nodoka replied. "Let's all walk faster. There was something about that officer that didn't put me at ease."

"Do you think he had the flu too?" Yui asked.

Nodoka nodded, tight-lipped. Yui could be astonishingly perceptive, at times.

"Nodoka-chan," Ui said, catching up to Nodoka, leaning in close. "Is going to the school really a good idea?"

Nodoka frowned. "That's where we're supposed to be evacuating to. Why wouldn't it be a good idea?"

"I was just thinking," Ui replied. "It's just that I remember that nearly everybody at school was sick. Which means most of the people going back there will be sick. And if sick people are the ones turning violent ... I just worry for Onee-chan's safety."

Nodoka's frown deepened. "That's a good point," she finally replied. "But … what can we do? That's where we're supposed to go, to be safe. And I would think the government would've taken that into account."

"Oh ... okay," Ui replied. Her tone didn't sound at all reassured.

"Ui-chan," Nodoka said. "We'll all stick together, alright? None of us are sick, so if others start to cause trouble, we'll have each other's backs."

Ui smiled a little at that. "Okay, Nodoka-chan."

* * *

><p>The gate to Sakuragaoka High was crowded. Military trucks were parked across the entrance, forming a barricade; behind which soldiers looked out at the line of people trying to get inside.<p>

"Everybody listen up," a man said through a bullhorn, standing atop one of the trucks. "Just stay in line, and stay calm. When you get to the gate, a soldier will hand you a mask. This is for your own safety. Everyone inside the gate must wear their masks at all times! If you are sick, we've set up tents on the grounds where you can be treated."

Nodoka looked around as the man's words were greeted by widespread fits of coughing. The girls had stashed their clubs behind a dumpster before getting into line, and that only added to her worries. The people who didn't look frightened and anxious looked sick.

"How long will we be here?" Someone near the front of the line shouted.

"Should not be more than a few days. As soon as the riots are contained, you will be free to return to your homes."

"Riots, huh," Azusa echoed, looking down at the ground.

"I'm sure they're just putting the best spin on things," Nodoka replied. "To keep everyone from panicking."

"I was attacked!" Someone yelled. There were some sympathetic noises from the crowd as others chimed in.

"There are also police on the grounds," the military man replied. "Anyone who was attacked by the rioters can give their information to the police. No matter what rumors you may have heard, the government has everything under control."

There was a disgruntled rumble that now accompanied the coughing, but nobody seemed to want to contradict the military man.

"We'll start getting you people processed now. Let's keep this orderly."

The line started to move forward. Sirens wailed constantly in the distance, and the girls could even hear the occasional popcorn-like sounds of distant gunfire. Ui held Yui's hand tightly, and Yui held Azusa's.

"ID, please," a military man in a white surgical mask asked them, as they came up to the barricade.

"Here you go," Nodoka replied. She'd been put in charge of dealing with the authorities.

"Hmm," the man said, frowning at their school IDs. "You girls go to this school eh?"

"Yes, sir," Nodoka replied.

"Azu-nyan and I are part of the Light Music Club," Yui ventured.

"That would explain that, then," the military man said, gesturing at Yui's guitar case. "Do any of you have the flu?"

"No sir," Nodoka replied. "All of us are healthy."

The military man frowned. "You're lucky then. You're the first women I've met today that aren't sick. Heck, I think I'm doing good just because most of my men are just well enough to stand," he said, handing the girls' IDs to another military man, who wrote the girls' names down on a clipboard, checked off several boxes, and then handed the IDs back to Nodoka.

"Here you go. Just proceed to the next station, and you'll get your facemasks. Major Fujitou's warning applies double to everyone who isn't sick."

"Okay," Yui replied.

"Thank you, sir," Nodoka said, leading the girls to the next station; a table with a pile of surgical masks. The slight man behind it coughed into his mask.

"All of you take a mask. Put it on before you go any further. If you're sick, please go to one of the tents set up on the school grounds. If not, go into the school building and speak with the officer at the security station so you can get registered."

They dutifully put their masks on and made polite bows to the man behind the table. As they walked away, Yui tried her best to adjust her mask.

"This thing is just uncomfortable," she said.

"Well, you heard what the man said. Keep it on," Nodoka replied.

"Here, let me," Ui said, stopping Yui. She took several moments to fiddle with her sister's mask, and then took a step back. "How's that now, Onee-chan?"

"It fits now! You're so awesome, Ui-chan," Yui said, her eyes lighting up.

"Onee-chan," Ui replied with a blush.

They swept into the school, and the first thing that struck Nodoka was how few people were inside. There had been people ahead of them in the line, but they watched as they went off toward the olive drab tents that now dotted Sakuragaoka's grounds like giant, canvas, mushrooms. They approached the security booth, and the man inside stared back at them with bloodshot eyes.

"I can't believe it," he muttered to himself. "I can't believe she bit me ... but I'm not sick yet ... that means I'm immune, right? Right?"

"Excuse me? Sir?" Nodoka politely cleared her throat, and the man looked up at them uncomprehendingly. He then, quickly, shook his head.

"I ... uh, I'm sorry. L-long day," he said. "You're evacuees?"

"Yes sir," Nodoka replied, fighting the urge to take a step back.

"Immunes, I guess?"

"So far!" Yui chimed in.

"Well ... h-hope you stay that way," the man replied. His eyes widened, as if he'd just remembered something. He produced four clipboards, pushing them over the counter. "Fill these out ... if you have family or friends coming behind you, this will help us to direct them to you ... or if you're here alone and they're somewhere else, it'll let us p-put you in touch."

"Are you okay, sir?" Ui asked, frowning.

"I-I'm fine! Really! I don't look sick, do I?" The man leaned closer to the glass partition. "Do I?"

"You look fine, sir," Nodoka replied, stepping between Ui and the man. "We'll go fill these out now."

"G-good idea," the man said. Nodoka put her hands firmly on Ui and Yui's shoulders, guiding them toward a row of chairs.

"Guys," she whispered. "Don't provoke them!"

"But," Ui started to say.

"No buts!" Nodoka replied, adjusting her glasses. "Let's just get these things filled out and find out where they're putting us."

"Putting us?" Yui said. "Aww, but I want to go to the club room."

"Yui," Nodoka started to say, before putting her hand on Yui's shoulder. "Look, we'll ask them nicely, okay? But don't expect them to just say yes."

"But," Yui said, looking thoughtful, "when the others get here, the first thing they'll think is that we'll be waiting for them in the club room. Maybe even with snacks."

"Only you would think that, Yui-senpai," Azusa said, a scowl flashing across her face.

"I'm glad ... I'm glad I'm behind this glass," the man muttered behind them. "She bit me ... she freakin' bit me ... she said she wasn't sick and she bit me ... "

"Lets hurry," Nodoka suggested. The girls filled out their forms in awkward silence, punctuated only by the mutterings of the military man at the security booth. After a couple of minutes, they walked back up to the booth where, again, Nodoka had to clear her throat to get the man's attention.

"D-done already?"

"Yes sir," Nodoka replied.

"G-good," the man said, taking the clipboards with gloved hands. "Off you go ... pick any classroom, they're pretty much empty."

Yui leaned forward. "_Any_ classroom?"

"Y-yes ... I mean _no!_ Don't ... don't go to the top floor. It's ... it's off-limits."

"Are you _sure_?" Yui asked, as Nodoka bit her lip.

"Yes! Yes I'm sure!"

"Ahh ... achoo!" Azusa sneezed just then, and the man suddenly blanched.

"You ... you said you were immune!"

"I am immune," Azusa snapped. "Something just tickled my nose, sir, I'm sorry!"

"She said she was immune too ... and she lied ... she lied," the man's gaze became momentarily unfocused, before he looked back up at the girls. "Okay ... okay ... go where you want just ... just ... just get out of here!"

"Anywhere?" Yui asked.

"Yes, anywhere! As long as it isn't here! Get out of here! Go! Go!"

"Thank you, sir," Nodoka replied quickly. "We'll be going now," she said, already trying to lead the others away.

"Yui! What were you thinking!"

"I'm thinking we just got permission to go up to the clubroom," Yui replied, skipping several steps ahead.

"That's not what he said the first time," Azusa said, trying to ignore the mumbling of the man behind them. "He said upstairs is off-limits!"

"He seemed very sick," Ui said, as much to herself as to the others.

"But he sounded like he meant it when he said we could go anywhere," Yui replied. "And we're students here. And," she looked at Nodoka, "they won't say no if I tell them I'm part of the Light Music Club and I want to put my instrument away ... and take care of our turtle Ton-chan."

"Ton-chan," Azusa echoed. Nodoka frowned at the sudden change in Azusa's expression, looked back at Yui, and then threw up her arms.

"Okay ... umm ... okay, we'll try the clubroom first. Whatever happens next, I want you to know that ... for the record, I tried."

Behind them, they could faintly hear the man muttering: "Better safe than sorry ... better safe than sorry ... "

It was eerily quiet inside the school. As they passed by classrooms, they could hear the faint conversation of the small number of people who didn't need to go to the sick tents. There were people leaning up against walls, others sitting morosely on the floor. The sounds that disturbed Nodoka the most were the coughs and sniffles. She wanted to go into those rooms, grab those people by the collar and tell them to go to the tents outside where they were supposed to be.

But, she found herself following Yui, instead. Following Yui up the stairs, unconsciously brushing her hand over the sculpted tortoises that adorned the banister. There were voices on the other side of the door to the Light Music Club's room.

"Yui," Nodoka tried to say, but it was too late, Yui was already pushing the door open.

Inside the clubroom, several men in JSDF fatigues looked up from what they were doing. The club's ad-hoc table was covered with a map, and everything else that had been in the room was gone.

"What the ... hey! Civilians are not allowed to be up here!" A man with close-cropped salt-and-pepper hair snapped.

"We're deeply sorry, sir," Nodoka started to say, as Yui interrupted.

"This is my clubroom," Yui said. "I'm with the school's Light Music Club."

"This space has been commandeered by the JSDGF to coordinate the FDMA evacuations of this area. Civilians are not allowed up here. Corporal Nagata, please escort these people out of here."

"Hey, we were told we could come up here," Yui said.

The military man scowled. "Who the hell told you that?"

"The man at the security booth," Yui replied. "I figured he'd know."

Nodoka gripped Yui's shoulders, tightly. "We're deeply sorry, sir," she said. "We'll get our friend out of your way in just a moment ... "

"Damn it, Lieutenant Sanada," the military man said. He looked at Nodoka. "You four, wait here just a moment." He pressed a button on his radio.

"Echo three echo, this echo fow-er six, over."

There was some indistinct muttering on the radio, and then Lieutenant Sanada's voice sounded. "Echo ... four six echo, this ... this is echo ... three echo, over ... "

"Echo three echo, I have four _tango mikes_ up here who claim you said they could be here. Care to explain, over?"

" ... she said she was immune ... they said they were immune ... she bit me for my trouble ... better safe than sorry."

The military man frowned at his radio.

"Echo three echo, say again?"

"You think you can fool me! W-with your badges ... and your fancy blood?"

"Echo ... Lieutenant Sanada, what the hell is going on down there?"

"Better safe than sorry, better safe than sorry, better safe than sorry ... "

"Lieutenant Sanada, snap out of it!"

"I decide who gets in! Me! You ... you say you're immune? Better safe than sorry ... prove it! No ... not again!"

_BAM!_

Screaming.

_BAM! BAM! BAM!_

"Damn it," the military man snapped, slapping his radio. "You four stay right here. Nagata and Yoshida, watch them. Kodoma, Sendai, and Yamada, you're with me!"

The four soldiers pushed past the girls, and out the clubroom.

"Put your hands in the air ... keep them where we can see them," one of the remaining soldiers said.

"Yui," Nodoka said. "Do as he says," she urged, raising her own hands.

"Where is Ton-chan?" Azusa asked, raising her hands.

"Who is Ton-chan," one of the soldiers asked.

"He's our turtle," Yui replied. "I don't see the aquarium in here."

"Oh, that," the soldier replied. "That's been moved to quarantine by orders of the Ministry of Health."

"Quarantine? Why?"

"A precautionary measure. When the all-clear is given, you'll get your turtle back."

"This is an interesting map you've got here," Yui said. One of the soldiers lunged toward her, his hand on his gun.

"How'd you get over there! That's a sensitive document!"

"Onee-chan!" Ui shouted. Yui put her hands out and backed away from the table.

"Sit down, girls," the soldier ordered. "We'll get this sorted out soon enough."

The soldier's radio crackled to life.

" ... crazy bastard _shot_ a whole damned family ... Kodoma and Sendai are down ... "

"Echo Niner to Echo Four Six, I copy," the soldier replied, suddenly pale. "Instructions? Over."

"Echo Four Six to Echo Niner. Get down here ASAP. Emergency services have already been called. Over."

"Echo Niner to Echo Four Six. Wilco. What about our guests? Over."

"They've been exposed to that crazy bastard Sanada. We'll get them to the tents once the situation is under control. Until then ... keep them there."

"Damn it," the soldier said, before keying his mike. "Roger." He swept the map off the table, folding it up. He glared at the girls. "You four, stay here. The other room's filled with police and military, so don't even think about leaving this room." He looked to the other soldier. "Come on, Nagata."

And, just like that, the girls were alone in the clubroom. The first thing Yui did was remove her mask.

"Yui! What do you think you're doing?"

"This thing still isn't very comfortable," Yui replied. "I don't think it's going to do any good anyway."

"Yui-senpai, the soldiers told us to keep them back on at all times!" Azusa said.

"And if I hear any coming, I'll put it back on," Yui waved her off. "Besides, I'm hungry."

"I've got snacks packed," Ui volunteered.

"You're the best, Ui-chan," Yui said, a beatific smile on her face. Next to her, Azusa frowned.

"They think we're infected now," she said. "Did you hear their orders? We're going to go out to the tents."

"Well, I feel fine," Yui replied.

"That isn't the point!"

"Guys!" Nodoka interrupted. She adjusted her glasses, looking to Yui. "Change of subject ... Yui, why don't you tell the rest of us what you saw on that map they had?"

"Oh!" Yui replied. "It's a map of Japan. It's got a lot of red on it, and a lot of arrows drawn on it pointing to Tokyo."

"A lot of red?"

"Yeah, lots of cities marked with red circles ... ours included."

"Hmm," Nodoka replied.

"What about Kyoto?" Azusa asked, leaning forward.

"Kyoto ... Kyoto ... ah! Kyoto was different!" Yui replied. "Kyoto had an 'X' over it."

"An ... an 'X'? N ... n ... not a circle ... "

"Makes sense," Nodoka said. "Kyoto has a lot of tourists, that's probably where the first major outbreaks were."

Ui looked suddenly thoughtful. "So wouldn't Tokyo have an 'X' through it too?"

"Tokyo's also the center of government," Nodoka replied.

"What are you guys talking about?" Yui asked.

"Yui, guys," Nodoka replied, looking at each one of them. "If Yui's recollection of the map is correct, that means the government is _way_ behind the curve in dealing with this ... they're just reacting to events," she said, taking a breath. "Ultimately, that means we're probably going to end up going to Tokyo, by the time it's all said and done."

"Tokyo ... oh, like the Budokan?"

"Yes, Yui, like that."

"But why Tokyo?" Azusa asked numbly.

"Because that's probably where the government will end up focusing all its containment efforts."

"Oh ... "

"Azusa-chan," Nodoka said, putting her hand on Azusa's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"Nodoka-senpai," was all Azusa could say, burying her face into her hands.

There was the sound of approaching sirens.

"Wow, will you look at that," Yui said, looking out the window. The ambulance was coming. It was swerving down the road toward the school.

"Oh no ... those people," Ui gasped, as the ambulance plowed into the line of people waiting to get onto the school grounds. Bodies tumbled and scattered around the ambulance, as it roared toward the two military vehicles at the entrance to Sakuragaoka High.

_Bang!_

The girls could hear the ambulance smash head-on into the two military trucks, scattering the soldiers who'd been stationed at the gates. Yet, the sirens still wailed. People scrambled, rushing to help those who'd been mowed down by the rampaging ambulance. All of them unaware of the attention they were getting.

"Behind them," Ui said, in horror. Behind the ambulance were many, many shambling, sprinting, and scrambling figures. They descended upon the people scrambling outside the gates, their grunts, groans, and screams trickling, running, and gushing together into a howling scream.

Some soldiers at the gates drew their pistols, others scrambled for their wrecked trucks. Pops of gunfire echoed into the clubroom, as the girls watched in horror. People outside fell, as if swept away by a flood.

"They're coming this way, what do we do? What do we do?" Azusa said. "Yui-senpai! Nodoka-senpai!"

Nodoka looked around.

"Start barricading the door! Everyone! Grab anything you can, and pile it up against the door!"

"B ... bu ... but what about the door to the music room?"

"I'll check," Nodoka said, tearing herself away from the window. "Don't wait for me, just start barricading! Now!"

She heard scrambling footsteps behind her as she sprinted to the door. She threw it open, and was greeted by a scene of pandemonium. Police and soldiers were scrambling toward the exit, trying to get downstairs to meet the oncoming horde.

"You there!" A policeman shouted, spotting Nodoka. "Get back into that room! Barricade the doors and protect yourselves!"

"What about you!"

"We have to protect the civilians in here already!"

"It's heavy," she heard Yui cry out behind her. "Azu-nyan, help me out here!"

"R-right," Nodoka replied, nodding once and wheeling back into the clubroom. The others had already pushed the chairs up against the door. Yui and Azusa were hauling one of the desks across the clubroom, while Ui was dragging another. Nodoka rushed in, grabbing a third, hearing it squeal across the floor as she dragged it into place.

"Come on! Help me put this up here!"

"R-right, Nodoka-senpai!"

"Onee-chan! Grab another amplifier!"

"I'm coming!"

Nodoka raced to the closet, throwing the door open and grabbing the boxes closest to her, piling them against the door to the music room. Outside, they could hear the sounds of gunfire, and of screaming.

"They're in the school!" Azusa shouted. "I can hear them!"

Nodoka looked at the doors, at the windows, and then back into the closet. She nodded to herself, the barricades would hold. They'd have to hold ...

"Everyone, into the closet! Now!"

* * *

><p>Sirens wailed outside as Mugi sat on the top of the stairs, clutching her shotgun closer, and trying to keep her eyes open. On the couch, Sumire was stretched out, with her eyes closed. On the floor, Mio and Ritsu were both asleep, nestled under blankets. Mugi looked at them both, and they looked peaceful; the troubles of a collapsing world far away.<p>

A low, sobbing, moan brought Mugi to instant wakefulness. She slowly turned in the darkness ... the sound was coming from the room Sawako was staying in.

"Sawako-sensei," Mugi said, carefully rising to her feet. She cradled her shotgun under one arm, and picked up a flashlight with the other. She carefully made her way down the hallway, not yet daring to turn on the flashlight. She got closer to the room ... Sawako was definitely sobbing. Mugi frowned, reaching for the door.

"So hot," Sawako moaned. "So hot, so hot, so hot. It hurts ... "

"Sawako-sensei?" Mugi said, turning on her flashlight and carefully opening the door. The sight that greeted her shocked her. Sawako was kneeling on the floor, her face cupped in her hands. What was striking was that her clothes were scattered around her, and her skin, pale as death, shone in Mugi's flashlight. Sawako looked up at Mugi with red, bloodshot eyes, and snarled.

"Turn that damned light off!" Sawako growled through gritted teeth, hissing with each breath.

"I'm sorry, Sawa-chan!" Mugi said, hastily backing out of the door, pushing it shut. She clutched her shotgun tightly, listening through the door. After what seemed like an eternity, Sawako began to whimper, and then sob once again.

"Why does it hurt so much?" Sawako moaned as Mugi backed down the hallway. At the top of the stairs, she turned and practically flew down them, shaking Sumire.

"Sumire, wake up!"

"O-Onee-chan?"

"Get ready," Mugi hissed. "I'll wake the others," she said, turning to Mio and Ritsu.

"Guys, wake up," she said, starting to shake Ritsu.

Ritsu sat up with a start, staring out into the darkness. The first thing her eyes focused on were Mugi's; and Mugi looked _scared._

"Mugi?" Ritsu murmured, trying to force the exhaustion from her mind. Mugi was already reaching over to Mio, and Ritsu's hand managed to clamp over Mio's mouth just in time to stifle a scream as the other girl was startled awake.

"I'm sorry guys," Mugi said. "But I think we have to get ready to go, _now_."

Mio clutched at Ritsu's wrist, and pulled her hand away.

"Mugi, it's the m ... m ... middle of the night," she said.

"I know, and I'm sorry," Mugi replied. "But I think that Sawa ... Sawako-sensei is turning."

Ritsu swallowed, her heart sinking. "How ... how do you know?"

"She's torn off all her clothes, and ... her eyes ... they're so red ... "

"N-not Sawako-sensei," Mio said, slumping back into the couch. "She can't change ... we can't leave her."

"But she _is_ changing, Mio," Mugi replied. "I shined my flashlight on her and she _growled_ at me."

Ritsu sprung to her feet. "Mugi? Did you get Satoshi?"

Mugi stopped, thunderstruck.

"Oh no, Satoshi ... "

There was a scream.

It was Sawako.

There was another scream.

That was Satoshi.

"Satoshi!" Ritsu said, sprinting for the stairs.

"Ricchan!" Mugi said, lunging after her.

Ritsu half-dashed, half-stumbled up the stairs, somehow not tripping in the inky darkness. Behind her, Mugi's flashlight danced wildly. Ahead of her, Satoshi screamed, and screamed; and Sawako's voice became a screeching, keening, wail. She barely got to the top of the stairs when she was splashed by something hot and wet.

Satoshi's blood.

Sawako straddled Ritsu's younger brother, clawing at him with her bare hands. At least, that's what it looked like she was doing, as her hands were moving so fast that Ritsu could barely see them.

"Satoshi!" Ritsu screamed, suddenly frozen as Mugi's flashlight illuminated Sawako tearing into Satoshi, her pale skin splattered and splashed with blood.

_KA-BOOM!_

A shotgun went off just behind Ritsu, and Sawako's blood splattered onto the walls as she tumbled off Satoshi. To Ritsu's horrified amazement, Sawako just staggered to her feet, and then sprinted back into her room. There was a _crash_ of shattering glass, and then all was deathly silent.

"Sa ... Satoshi?" Ritsu said, her voice very small. "Satoshi?"

Silence. Satoshi laid there, his belly torn open, his eyes frozen in wide-eyed terror.

"Satoshi!" Ritsu screamed, lunging toward her brother. A wall of stench ... the slaughterhouse smell of blood and the septic smell of urine ... stopped her short, and Ritsu collapsed to her knees; feeling herself sinking into blackness. She barely felt Mugi's hands on her shoulders. She barely heard Mio screaming. She sat there, on her knees, her tears burning down her cheeks. Dimly, she remembered Mugi ... no, that was Saito-san, pushing past her and disappearing into the room Satoshi had been staying in.

Saito-san emerged a moment later, carrying a blanket.

"What are you doing!" Ritsu suddenly screamed, as Sumire draped the blanket over Satoshi. "Help him!"

Sumire's eyes met Ritsu's, brimming with tears. She convulsively shook her head.

"Ricchan," Mugi said behind her. "I'm sorry ... I'm so sorry ... I should've woken him first ... I'm sorry ... "

"Answer," Mio screamed. "Oh please, answer ... " There was furious tapping ... Mio dialing her phone over and over.

Ritsu stared at Satoshi's still form, with that blanket now draped over him. Already, blood was starting to soak through the blanket.

"Akiyama-san, there's nothing we can do," she heard Saito-san say, trying to make herself heard over Mio's hysterical pleading.

_I'm all alone now,_ the thought came, unbidden. _My entire family is ... dead ... _

"Ricchan," Mugi said, miserably. "Say something, please?"

_What can I say? It's okay you let a fucking zombie disembowel my baby brother right before my very eyes?_

_What am I thinking? That zombie took a shotgun blast and just __**ran away!**_

_That zombie was Sawa-chan!_

"Nobody is answering!" Mio screamed behind her. "I can't call an ambulance!"

Ritsu stared at the bloody corpse, heard the bloody screaming behind her, and listened to tears being wept.

"No," she said, so very quietly.

"All of you, that's enough!" Ritsu snapped, bringing instant silence to the house.

_I'm __**not**__ alone ... not yet ..._

"Ricchan?" Mugi said, putting her hand on Ritsu's shoulder.

Ritsu shrugged it off, forcing herself to her feet. She turned away from Satoshi's body. Mugi's bloodshot, teary, eyes greeted hers.

"Thanks," Ritsu barely managed. "You tried your best," she said. She cleared her throat, and tried to ignore the ache in her chest. _I'm not going quietly,_ she thought.

"We have to get going," she said. "We have to get to the evacuation center. That's all we can do."

* * *

><p>Mio's house stood as a stark, black, figure against the orange haze of suburban night. Ritsu wiped her nose, willing her feet to move. Satoshi's body was still in that house. They'd cleaned him up, as best they could, and covered him in sheets. They'd written yet another note ... for anyone who came after. They still couldn't reach emergency services, and based on the near-constant wail of sirens in the air, they probably never would do so again.<p>

"Ritsu," Mio said, the hoarse exhaustion in her voice only just covering the hysteria.

"Mio," Ritsu replied. _Don't lose it, Mio. I beg you,_ she thought fervently. _I can't take it right now._

Mio looked into Ritsu's eyes, and silently put her hands on Ritsu's shoulders, drawing her closer. Ritsu sighed, leaning back into her friend. Just as her knees threatened to buckle, she gingerly shrugged Mio off.

"We'll make it," she said. "You'll see. Mugi? Saito-san? Are ... are you ready," she asked. Ritsu found the glint of the gunmetal of their shotguns to be both unnerving and reassuring at the same time. Certainly, there'd be questions asked if they encountered the authorities, but Mugi was rich ... surely she could talk her way past them. Right?

"Yes," Mugi and Sumire replied, simultaneously. It was still shocking just how alike the two blonde girls were.

"Okay," Ritsu said. "Let's move out. Sawa ... the Sawa ... zombie might still be nearby."

There were silent nods of assent as the girls stalked off down the street. Their movements were careful ... none of them dared turn on their flashlights, not after Mugi had told them how the turned Sawako had reacted to hers.

"Do you see that?" Mio asked, a few minutes later.

"See what," Ritsu said, her voice flat.

"I do see something," Mugi replied, before Mio could say anything. "It looks like blue and red lights in the distance."

Ritsu rubbed her bleary eyes and stared out where Mugi was pointing. Indeed, in the hazy air, were flashing blue and red lights in the air above the buildings and trees.

"I see it. May be a police barricade," she said.

"The p ... po ... police?" Mio echoed. "Ritsu! We're saved!" She took Ritsu's hands, squeezing firmly, her expression starting to look something other than shell-shocked.

"I don't know," Sumire said. "The police didn't come to our house when those construction workers turned on each other."

Ritsu squeezed Mio's hands in return, but her smile was tired and faint.

"Yeah," she said.

"Well," Mio replied. "Maybe they're just really busy! Surely, if we go to them, they can't turn us away. And they'll have guns, and they'll know how to use them ... and ... and ... maybe Mommy and Daddy might have escaped after all."

Ritsu flung Mio's hands away.

"What about _my_ parents! And Satoshi! Fr ... fro ... from what you said, your parents might be as dead as mine!"

_Crack!_ Ritsu sprawled out on the pavement, staring up in shock at Mio ... Mio and her clenched fist.

"Shut! Up! Tainaka-san!"

Suddenly Mugi was between them, her hand firmly around Mio's wrist. Mio's eyes widened at the power in that grip.

"That's enough," Mugi said. "If we fall apart now, they'll get us and we'll _all_ be dead. No more fighting. Do I make myself _absolutely_ clear?"

Ritsu blinked. She'd only ever heard Mugi use anything approaching that tone of voice on the phone with her house help. The lash of her words bit deeper than the throbbing ache of Mio's punch. In that instant, she saw Mugi in a new, chilling, light.

"Y-yes ma'am," Mio replied. Mugi's eyebrow ticked up at that, but she chose to ignore it. "Ritsu?"

"Y-yeah," Ritsu said, choking out the word. "Mio, I'm sorry. This has been hard on _all_ of us."

Mugi smiled. It wasn't the warm smile of the Mugi that served tea every day in Sakuragaoka's music room. It was the cool smile of the corporate boss who'd accepted the floor-scraping apologies of a pair of college interns.

"Good," she said. "Mio has a point. They won't turn away the uninfected, but Sumire's right also; we'll have to approach them with caution." She extended her other hand to Ritsu. "Shall we be going?"

Ritsu smiled a polite, nervous, smile.

"I agree," she said, taking Mugi's hand. "Let's get going." As Mugi hauled her up, she said, very softly, "Besides ... Mio has a point too. I'm sure our friends are waiting for us."

* * *

><p>The police barricade, Ritsu thought, was a bit of a let-down. No, that was putting it mildly. There were police cars and barricades, yes ... but the illusion of control ended the moment she saw the handful of zombies standing around, and the scattered corpses of other zombies, policemen, and other citizens. Several suitcases were scattered haphazardly behind the police cars.<p>

"Oh no," Mio gasped. "We're too late ... " there was a rustle behind Ritsu as Mio turned away. "We have to get out of here."

Suddenly, Ritsu's hand was wrapped firmly around Mio's wrist.

"No," Ritsu said.

'Are you out of your mind," Mio said, trying to wrench her hand free. "There's nothing here but the infected!"

"But not many," Ritsu replied, "and we do have guns. I say we take the barricade and look for something useful to get us to the school."

"Ritsuuuu! That's a terrible idea! We should get to the school as fast as possible! I mean Mugi and Saito-san have g ... g ... guns. Why do we need to do this?"

"Mio-chan," Mugi said, putting her hand on Mio's shoulder. "Our shotguns are loaded with target loads." She glanced back at Sumire and closed her eyes. "It took three shots for me to save Sumire-chan ... if one of you goes down and we're not there to save you ... " Mugi's voice trailed off. "It ... it'd be better if everyone had something to protect themselves with."

Ritsu nodded mutely, her mind suddenly filled with images of what might've happened if Sawako had turned when Mugi saw her. She glanced at Mugi's shotgun, and knew there was no way she could handle something like that.

"We have to do this, and we have to do this quick," she said. "Just ... just stay close to me, Mio, okay?"

Mio's eyes darted between her friends, and her face paled. She swallowed and squeezed her eyes shut.

" ... 'kay ... "

"That's my girl," Ritsu said, patting Mio's shoulder with her other hand. She didn't dare let go of Mio's hand. "Alright, all of us together on the count of three." She took one more look at her friends, and another at the shuffling zombies. "One ... two ... _three!_ "

The girls lunged up from the bushes and into the street. It had to be less than twenty meters to those police cars, but the zombies in the way had other plans. Growls and hisses went up into the air as several zombies were shaken from their stupor.

_KA-BOOM!_

Mugi's shotgun spoke thunder and a zombie staggered back, the front of its shirt suddenly soaked in blood. Ritsu squeezed Mio's hand harder, pulling her toward the barricade.

Twin thunderclaps assailed her ears, as Mugi and Sumire fired simultaneously. Ritsu gaped as a zombie collapsed in her path. Some of the "dead" people scattered around the police barricade turned out to not be so dead, when they sat up groggily. As they sighted the girls, they hissed and snarled, thrusting themselves to their feet. Other zombies surged between the girls and the flashing lights. Mugi's shotgun spoke twice more, and Sumire's once; and several more zombies staggered backward and collapsed.

Ritsu and Mio slammed into a police car, as Mugi leaped over the barricade, and then ducked down out of sight.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" Ritsu urged, pulling Mio around the police car. Her eyes darted around the corpses of the police.

"Everyone, grab a weapon," she screamed, snatching one nightstick, and then another.

"Sumire! Look out!" Mugi yelled, causing Ritsu to look up. Sumire had, somehow, fallen behind them. She was on the wrong side of the barricade, with several zombies closing in. Mugi leapt back over the barricade, hurtling herself at the zombies. Zombies sprinted past Mugi and toward the police cars ... and toward Ritsu and Mio. Ritsu risked a glance at Mio, and her heart sank. Mio was huddled up against a police car, hugging her knees tightly to her chest.

"Goddamn it," Ritsu said, just as the first zombies pushed against the barricade. "This is getting good!" Wildly, she swung her nightsticks at the zombies. To her astonishment, her flailing stalled their advance.

"Miooo! Get up! Help me!" She screamed. One of her nightsticks jolted unpleasantly in her hand as it made contact with zombie flesh. Pain crackled up her arm as another zombie swiped its fingernails across her forearm. She grit her teeth, swinging a nightstick into the zombie's face, and shoved another back.

"Mio!" No response. Good thing Ritsu was good at hitting things hard and fast. She brought a nightstick down across the arm of a zombie that was reaching for her, and jabbed into another's gut. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied Mugi and Sumire, swinging their shotguns like clubs; desperately struggling for room.

Lines of pain slashed across her bicep as another zombie swiped at her. That distracted her and a zombie's claw-like hand barely missed her face. She swung and flailed, just as someone's shotgun thundered again ... once, twice, and then three times.

Her eyes watered with pain as a zombie violently wrenched one of her nightsticks from her. She smashed the other into its face, over and over. She staggered and stumbled as yet another grabbed hold of her shirt, and then her vision exploded into stars as one smashed her across the face with its fist. That was followed by a spike of agony as she landed right on her tailbone, sprawling back. The back of her head bouncing off the pavement stunned her ... just long enough for the zombies to catch up.

"Mio! I'm down!" She yelled. Her shouts turned to screams as the two zombies kicked her side and legs. She looked desperately at Mio.

"Mio pleaaase!" She cried, looking away from Mio as she kicked out violently into the groin of one of the zombies, who staggered back, but otherwise seemed not to notice. The other redoubled its efforts to kick her side in, and she flailed at that one with her remaining nightstick; each lung-full of air causing her more and more pain.

"Ritsu!" Mio screamed. Something launched itself across Ritsu's vision ... Mio in a flying tackle of the zombie kicking at her side. The other zombie lunged back toward Ritsu, and a firecrackers of pain exploded between her legs as the zombie returned her previous favor. Her thighs clenched tight around the zombie's foot, causing it to stumble. Its head abruptly exploded, and Ritsu felt something warm, slimy, and wet splash across her face.

She screamed as another zombie tumbled lifelessly over a police car, landing at her side. A thunderclap drove a spike of pain into her ear, and then all was silent. Ritsu sprawled back onto the cold pavement, staring up at the orange sky. Suddenly, a face framed with blonde hair loomed over her ... it was Sumire, who knelt down next to Ritsu.

"Ritsu-san, can you get up?"

"I … think so," Ritsu replied, forcing herself to sit up. The movement was greeted by protests from her ribs, her spine, and her tailbone. The nauseating pain from between her legs syncopated with the throbbing in her cheeks, the pervasive aches in her chest, and her legs. "They did a … number on me, didn't they?"

Sumire looked Ritsu over and shook her head. "It doesn't look ... bad."

Ritsu smiled faintly. "Don't lie to me ... say ... why did you fall behind?"

Sumire looked away from Ritsu for several moments.

"It hurts to breathe sometimes," she finally replied. "I think ... something happened when I was attacked."

"Attacked ... Mio!" Ritsu gasped, staggering to her feet. Her eyes frantically scanned the carnage before her, and they found Mugi and Mio huddled together. A zombie with a battered face, and a gaping shotgun wound to the chest was at one side, and the remains of Mio's dinner were at the other.

"Mio!" Ritsu said wincing at the effort it took to speak. She shrugged it off, lurching to her friend's side. Conflicting emotions surged to the forefront of her mind. Emotions which evaporated when she saw Mio's hands ... her raw, bloody, knuckles, and the scratches on her forearms. Her eyes jerked back to the face of the zombie, and then to Mio's hands once more.

"You did good, Mio," she finally managed.

"I-I just ... I can't ... I can't believe I did that," Mio said, not hearing her.

Mugi looked up at Ritsu, and then to the bodies surrounding them. "Be careful searching for supplies," she said. "Show respect."

Ritsu nodded, turning away. She saw Sumire crouched down behind one of the police cars, shotgun at the ready. She exhaled sharply, hobbling from one police officer to another. She collected another nightstick and some mace from one cop, and then picked up a gun. She turned it over and around; the English on it advertised it as a "Sig Sauer P232." What struck Ritsu was that it was really quite small and, when she finally found the right control to drop the magazine, quite empty. There were a couple more of these pistols, and when Ritsu dropped the magazines, she found she could scavenge enough cartridges to fill one whole magazine.

It wasn't much, but it went into her waistband. Scattered among the dead officers were a number of equally small revolvers marked "Smith and Wesson Airweight." These were easier to get the cylinders open on, but they were also mostly empty. Those went into her backpack.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, kneeling next to a dead officer. She came up with his radio, yet another nightstick, and some ammo for the revolvers. Unloading them, putting the ammunition in her pocket, and the guns into her bag took her mind off the pain she felt with each step she took, and each move she made. She even found a small handful of spare magazines for the SIG as well, and those brightened her spirits.

Almost at random, she opened one of the suitcases. A smile creased her face as several bottles of sake greeted her. Sake ... and vodka. Ritsu scooped up the alcohol, and gingerly made her way back to the police cars. She saw Mio sitting up against one with Sumire at her side. Clearly, it had become Mugi's turn to look out beyond the barricade.

"Mio," Ritsu said. Mio's eyes briefly met hers, and then her friend looked away.

"We're all crazy," Mio said.

"What?" Ritsu replied, kneeling in front of Mio.

"I just watched my best friend beat up a bunch of sick people with a police baton she stole off a dead body," Mio said, shivering. "I watched my other best friend and her adopted sister just shoot a whole bunch of these sick ... zombies ... with actual _guns._ I didn't even know Mugi owned guns until tonight!" Mio then dropped her face into her hands. "What have we gotten ourselves into, Ritsu?"

"The zombie apocalypse," Ritsu replied, deadpan. Mio looked up at her with a start, her eyes narrowing.

"Don't tell me you're going to take up _drinking_ now?"

"Oh no," Ritsu replied. "This is to clean up with. I hurt, but I don't wanna be out of it until we're somewhere more zombie-proof."

Mio gave Ritsu a look, and then spied the police radio.

"You picked up a radio?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, what are you waiting for!" Mio sat up straight, reaching out for the radio. "We can call a rescue!"

"I ... " Ritsu started to say, but then she realized that Mio had a point. "Right," she finally managed, pulling the radio off her hip and turning up the volume. Immediately, a cacophony of static, snarls, and screams filled the air. The girls listened silently to voices pleading in the night. To sirens and gunshots. To the snarls of the newly undead turning on their former compatriots.

"That's enough ... " Mio said, sinking down again, wrapping her arms around her knees. When Ritsu gaped at her, she snapped: "Turn it off!"

Ritsu turned off the police radio.

"Looks like we can't count on the police to save us," she said. She wiped her nose, trying to take a deep breath. "I think ... I think our best bet is going to be the military. And that means getting to the school ... 'cuz that's where the evac center is supposed to be." She looked off into the night, and then reached into her bag, pulling out all the revolvers she'd scavenged from the fallen police.

"Everyone, grab a gun," she said. Mugi and Sumire each picked up a revolver. Ritsu tucked a pair into her waistband, and then turned to Mio. "You too, Akiyama-san."

"No," Mio replied. "I'm not going to become a killer."

Ritsu clenched her teeth. "Mio, they're zombies. They're already dead ... they just don't know it yet."

"No!" Mio replied. "I don't care!"

"You heard the radio," Ritsu tried. "Everybody's dying because of these zombies. If there's any law and order, it's going to be at the school. But," she gestured off into the night, "the school is still a long ways off. And remember what Mugi said about her shotgun?"

Mio looked up at Ritsu. "I can run faster than you."

Ritsu laughed softly. It hurt to laugh. "I think ... anyone can outrun me right now, Mio." She lifted her shirt, and drew the SIG from the waistband of her pants. "At least, take this gun ... just in case?"

"No," Mio replied. "Do you even know how to _use_ a gun, Ritsu? I know I don't! I'll carry anything else you find here, but I won't take a gun."

Ritsu contemplated the pistol in her hand. "I … I guess I'm going to have to learn, aren't I? C'mon, Mio ... just take it already. I don't care if you don't plan to use it, but I want you to have it. And take a baton too, while you're at it ... please?"

Mio stared into Ritsu's eyes. She then pushed herself to her feet, looking down at Ritsu.

"Fine," she said, extending her hand. "I'll take it. I refuse to use it, but I'll take it."

Ritsu sighed softly. "Thank you, Mio."

Mio took the pistol, and it disappeared into the pocket of her coat. She then reached out again.

"I'll also be taking your alcohol," Mio said. "I am the responsible one, after all. And after tonight, the sane one."

Ritsu wrinkled her nose, but then her body reminded her how beat up she was, and how heavy all those bottles were.

"Okay, fine," Ritsu finally replied. "You can have the alcohol. But if I catch you taking a drink ... well ... "

"I'm taking it to keep it safe from the likes of you, Tainaka-san," Mio sniffed. "Now hand it over."

Ritsu shrugged off her backpack. "I'll tell you what," she said. "I'll let you take them out yourself. Because it ... it really hurts to move."

"Ritsu?" Mio replied. Her eyes widened, as if she was seeing her friend for the first time. "Ritsu! You look like a mess!"

Ritsu managed a chuckle. "That's good ... 'cuz I feel like one."

"Sit," Mio said. "Let me clean you up."

"I'm not sure now is the best ... "

"Ritsu!" Mio snapped, and Ritsu's protest died half-said. Gingerly, she lowered herself onto her knees. Mio took a bottle of vodka from Ritsu's pack.

"We could use Yui right now," Mio said. "She'd have something for me to clean your cuts with."

Ritsu smiled. "And yours," she replied. "I'd take Ui, myself. All the genius, and none of the lazy."

"Ritsu! Be nice!" Mio looked up into the night. "They're out there somewhere, you know?"

"You think so?"

"Yeah," Mio replied forcefully. "If there's anyone who could live through this and stay sane, it'd be Yui. And she'll have Ui with her, right? And maybe even Azusa!"

Ritsu winced at the quiet desperation in Mio's voice. "Oh Mio ... "

"What? I'm right about this ... you'll see."

"Oh no," Ritsu said. "It's not that. There should be a couple pairs of clean socks in my bag. You can use those ... and yeah, I think you're right."

Mio looked at Ritsu, and then reached into her bag. A moment later, Ritsu was down half a pair of socks, and Mio opened the bottle of vodka. She made a disgusted noise as she poured it onto the sock.

"This might sting a bit," Mio said, kneeling down next to Ritsu. Ritsu hissed through gritted teeth as Mio wiped down the claw-marks left by the zombies. She carefully pressed her fingertips between her legs and bit her lip hard enough to draw blood.

"What are you doing?" Mio said, raising an eyebrow.

Ritsu blinked away tears and smiled. "Zombies … they fight dirty."

Mio's mouth took an 'o' of shock and she unconsciously squeezed her thighs together. "I ... I ... I don't think I can help you with that."

"C'mon, Mio, it's not like you haven't seen it befo ... ow!"

"Ritsu!" Mio said, shaking her hand.

"I kid, I kid," Ritsu replied, rubbing the top of her head ... it was good to see Mio striking out like that. A thump to the top of the head beat the haymaker from earlier.

"Ritsu-san, Mio-san, are you ready to go?" Sumire said, as she stepped up to them. "It's not safe here."

"No?" Ritsu replied, and then her eyes drifted over the scattered corpses. "No, I guess it isn't." A pair of hands thrust themselves into her vision. Mio's and Sumire's. She saw Mugi approach as well. She smiled at Ritsu, and then turned her attention back to the night.

"Thanks, guys," she said, as they hauled her to her feet. She took several, hesitant, steps; daring her legs to give out on her. Yet, she remained steady and she smiled. "I'm not ready to lay down yet, it seems. Let's get going."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>  
>- Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out. For that matter, sorry it's so long.<br>- Poor Satoshi, startling the Witch like that. All he wanted to do was use the bathroom.  
>- Coming up in Chapter Six: Will Yui's band of survivors make it through the night? Will Ritsu's band hook up with Yui's band? All that, and some sweet guns, coming up.<br>- This chapter has been revised from its original version. I've corrected errors that slipped through the original proofreading, and I've tightened things up a bit to make the writing style of the earlier chapters more consistent with the later chapters.  
>- The guns shown in this chapter are really the extent of firearms carried by Japanese police. This stands in sharp contrast to the kinds of weapons employed by, say, modern American police.<br>- _Biohazard_ is the Japanese name for _Resident Evil._ In this story, the game _Left 4 Dead_ doesn't exist, so I needed a stand-in game in a similar genre that Japanese schoolgirls might recognize.  
>- Yui's right … YouTube has quite a few examples of what happens when you smash things with guitars, a lot of them having to do with Ritsu's favorite band.<br>- The whole "use guitars as melee weapons" thing puzzles me anyway. The balance is terrible, for one. For another, and this is relevant to _K-On!_, in the case of Gibson guitars, the headstock is infamously easy to break.


	6. Chapter 5

**Dead School:**  
><em>School's out forever.<em>

The clubroom was a ruin. Chairs and desks and other debris were scattered across the floor. Shattered glass sparkled in the morning light, bloodied corpses hung over the window frames and the wreckage of the door. A couple zombies stood or sat morosely inside the clubroom, their clothes covered in blood and vomit.

_Crash!_

The door to the closet was flung open. One of the zombies looked up toward the door and started to snarl.

_Clang!_

A music stand smashed the zombie squarely in the face, sending it sprawling to the floor.

_Wham! Bam!_

One of the zombies leaning up against the wall slid to the floor, leaving a slick of blood behind on the wall. A third zombie lunged toward the open closet.

_Crack!_

A large frog statue was smashed over the zombie's head, knocking it down.

"I think it's safe to come out now," Nodoka said, gripping her music stand, staring out over the room. Behind her, Ui clutched the bloodied frog statue.

"Oh ... wow," Azusa said, peeking out of the closet, Yui wrapped around her. "They trashed the place, didn't they?"

"Yeah," Nodoka replied. "It's a good thing they didn't try the closet."

"Azu-nyan," Yui said, her eyes wide. "Our clubroom ... "

"It's a mess," Azusa replied. Nodoka made her way to a window, frowning as she peered out.

"Looks like the place has been overrun," she said.

"Are you serious?" Ui said.

"Totally," Nodoka replied, noticeably paler. "I ... uh ... wouldn't look out the windows, if I were you. It's ... not pretty. Not pretty at all." She clenched her fists, trying to un-see the brightly colored sweater she'd gotten her mother last Christmas.

"Mom … Dad …" she whispered.

"Look out!" Azusa cried. Nodoka spun around as a zombie stumbled into the clubroom and lurched toward her. She swung violently at the same time Ui hurtled the frog statue.

_Crash!_

The zombie went down in a spray of blood. The statue shattered against the wall.

"Not the froggy!" Yui said, her grip on Azusa slackening.

"It's not safe to stay here," Nodoka said, adjusting her glasses, trying to find her voice. "We should get out into the open."

"But," Ui replied, looking around. "I'd think we'd be better off staying here."

Nodoka gaped at Ui. "Why?"

"Well," Ui replied, looking toward the windows, "We're on the top of the school. Anything down there has to come up here to get us ... and they have to come up the stairs to do it."

"You're right," Azusa replied, looking at the door. Nodoka looked toward the door too, frowning.

"Well, that much is true," she said, leaning heavily on her impromptu club. "Then again, there were infected up here waiting for us to come out. And there were a lot of police and military next door."

"Yeah," Ui replied, "But most of them went downstairs to try to stop the infected, remember?"

"But some of them would've had to stay behind," Nodoka replied. "Where are they now?"

Ui looked thoughtful at that.

"Uiii," Yui said, "I'm hungry!"

"Yui-senpai! Is now the right time," Azusa snapped.

"Well," Nodoka said. "Yui does remind me of a good point. Unless Tsumugi-san has a stash of sweets up here we don't know about, we're going to have to go down to get supplies. And if we have to go down, we'd might as well try to find out where the military might be trying to evacuate people from next, and go there."

"Mugi-senpai!" Azusa said, leaning up against a wall. "The others were trying to come here too, weren't they?"

"If they got the word, then yeah, they should've come here," Ui said, starting to look down. "If they arrived when the horde did ... "

"I-I didn't see anyone who looked like them," Nodoka spoke quickly.

"Maybe Mugi-chan will have something to eat," Yui mused, frowning.

Nodoka rested a hand on Yui's shoulder. "There's a lot of 'maybes' there," she said, closing her eyes. _And now … only three 'definites' …_

"Hey, they'll be here for sure," Yui replied. "No 'maybes' about that."

"How can you say that, Yui-senpai!" Azusa glared up at Yui. "Look how hard it was for _us_ to get here!"

"Azusa-chan ... "

"How can you say a thing like that, Yui-senpai?" Azusa brushed Ui off, her eyes burning into Yui's. In another instant, Yui was wrapped around Azusa, sliding around behind her, stroking her hair.

"There, there, Azu-nyan," Yui replied.

"It's ... it won't work this time!"

"It's all going to be okay," Yui said, holding Azusa fast. "We made it ... and we have _me_."

Azusa, and the others, blinked at Yui's wry observation. Still, Azusa felt the need to snap back.

"Yeah? W ... w ... well, We've got Ui and Nodoka-senpai."

"And Mugi-chan has Mio-chan and Ricchan. And Mio-chan has Ricchan and Mugi-chan. And Ricchan has Mio-chan and Mugi-chan," Yui replied, still stroking Azusa's hair.

"Yui is right," Ui said. "If they found each other, they'll be safe for sure," she added, glancing toward Nodoka. Nodoka nodded by fractions, the light of the morning glinting on her glasses.

"We're a team too, guys," she said. "If they're together, and safe; then it's up to us to stick together and stay safe too." Nodoka was shocked at how steady, how sure, her voice sounded.

"In fact," she added, taking a deep breath. "It's up to us to stick together and stay safe, no matter what. We all have to survive, we all have to get out of this," her gaze settled on each of the others. "Together."

She took another breath. These three would have to be her family now … and she would protect them with everything she had left.

"Nodoka ... " Azusa said, gazing up at Nodoka.

"It's the best plan," Ui added. "Sticking together ... all of us."

Yui looked at the others.

"What ... what about the others?" she said. The others stared back at her.

"If they're together, they'll make it here," Nodoka replied.

"Then we should wait for them?"

Nodoka pressed her lips together. She gazed into Yui's eyes, and Yui gazed right back ... her eyes filled with unabashed hope, and something else. Something that gave Nodoka pause.

"Yeah ... okay ... we'll wait for the others." Nodoka replied, before tilting her head and holding each of the others in her gaze. "If not for the others, then if anything the military might come back here ... to see who's still alive here. But ... we'll have to leave sometime; we can't stay here forever. We won't stay here forever," she said her eyes settling on Yui's last. The two girls stared into each other's eyes. In the end, it was Yui whose determined look cut itself short with a single nod.

* * *

><p>Ritsu rose from a sleep plagued with nightmares. Nightmares of being endlessly chased by her mother and father. Of Satoshi glaring at her with dead eyes, holding his bloody bowels in his hands; his expression accusatory.<p>

Her first waking sensation was one of smell; and it was a soothing one. One of fresh, hot, tea.

_At last, a good dream,_ Ritsu thought.

"Are you awake, Ritsu-san?" A voice asked.

"... no?" What a curious dream. Why was she dreaming of that girl ... Sumire?

"Ojou-sama is making tea," Sumire said. Her tone of voice suggested that she still didn't quite believe what she was saying.

"Oh," Ritsu said, forcing her eyes open. "Not a dream, then?"

"I'm afraid not," Sumire replied, her blue eyes being the first things Ritsu focused on. Her gaze drifted lower, and saw the girl was holding her shotgun.

"But Mugi's making tea?"

"Yes, Ritsu-san. It seems the gas is still on."

Ritsu laughed softly, wincing as her ribs protested. "Well, there's something, I guess."

She forced herself into a sitting position, looking around. Sunlight filtered in through tiny cracks and gaps in the windows. The conveniently fortified house had been a blessing ... even if the owner had become a zombie before he could finish it.

Ritsu looked next to her and smiled as she saw Mio asleep beside her. Briefly, her eyes darted to the blood-spattered couch that blocked the door. She remembered the frantic effort to get that damn couch in place after they found the house. Afterward, she and Mio collapsed into each others' arms and cried. She didn't remember much after that.

"You tucked us in?" Ritsu said, looking up at Sumire. Sumire smiled and nodded.

"We did, Ojou-sama and I," she replied. "We then took turns keeping watch."

"You could've woken me," Ritsu said. "I would've helped."

"Ojou-sama said you needed your rest," Sumire replied.

Ritsu had a flashback to the night before, of Sumire falling behind, and nearly being taken by the horde.

"So do you," she said. Sumire shook her head.

"I'm okay right now, Ritsu-san," she replied. "I've been taking something for the pain."

"But you two would had to have been up all night," Ritsu said, as Sumire held up her hand.

"We took turns. Really, Ritsu-san, I'm fine."

Ritsu frowned and then tried a stretch.

Mio sat up with a start, screaming. Ritsu's arms were around her in an instant, her hand cupping over Mio's mouth.

"Mio!" Ritsu said. "Shhh, you're awake now. It's okay ... it's okay."

Mio clutched at Ritsu's hand, looking right into her eyes.

"Ritsu," Mio said, when Ritsu pulled her hand away. "I had this terrible dream. I dreamed that the whole world went crazy and ... and ... and," she said, her expression falling the moment she saw Sumire.

"You ... it ... it wasn't a dream," Mio gasped. "The ... the world really _is_ going crazy! Mugi really did kill all those people! My ... my ... your ... your ... "

"That's enough Mio," Ritsu said grabbing Mio's hand, squeezing tightly. "The world's not totally crazy yet ... do you smell that? Mugi's making tea."

"Tea," Mio echoed. Suddenly her eyes went wide. "The school! We were trying to get to the school!"

Ritsu nodded. "Yeah. But stumbling around in the dark was a bad idea. We found this house, and Mugi had to shoot the zombie inside it. And we've been here the rest of the night."

"B-but now it's light out! We should get going!"

Ritsu smiled, shaking her head. "Not so fast, Mio-san. I don't know about you, but I'm heartbroken, hurting, thirsty, and starving. I think we can take care of at least two of those before we venture outside of this little safehouse."

Mio's mouth snapped shut and she nodded jerkily. Ritsu eyed her, a sense of worry settling over her. _Come on Mio, fight through it,_ she thought fervently.

"Sumire-chan," Mugi said, emerging from the kitchen. "Why didn't you tell me they were awake?"

Sumire blushed. "I'm sorry, Onee-chan, they only just woke up now."

"Well," Mugi replied, setting down her tray, "I suppose you can be excused for that." She smiled gently, and then she looked over Mio and Ritsu.

"Did you two sleep okay?"

Ritsu frowned. "I've slept better."

Mio looked at Ritsu, and then back at Mugi. "Y-yeah, you could say that."

"Did you get any rest at all, Mugi?"

"We took turns keeping watch," Mugi replied. Suddenly, a yawn overtook her. "I couldn't sleep, though." She then gave Ritsu and Mio a look, blushing faintly. "I watched you two sleep all night."

Mio's cheeks reddened, and Ritsu felt hers starting to burn. "I ... I see," she managed, looking down at the tray. "Hey, that looks good," she said, hopefully not too brightly. And it was good. It looked like Spam, canned vegetables, and rice. It struck her mind as just the sort of food you'd find in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. The good stuff. Not the part where everyone would be reduced to eating packaged ramen and rat-on-a-stick.

"I'm sorry I couldn't find anything better to cook," Mugi was saying. "But there was good tea here, so I hope that will make up for ... " she was silenced by Ritsu's fingertip on her lips.

"It all looks good to me, Mugi-chan," Ritsu said. "I'm so hungry I'd even eat ramen and ... and ... and rat-on-a-stick!"

"Aiyee! Ritsu!" Mio shrieked. "Where'd that even come from!?"

Ritsu put her hand behind her head, laughing nervously. "Just a random thought, that's all. Let's all have something to eat. I get the feeling we'll need all our strength to get to the school today."

* * *

><p>Yui, Ui, Azusa, and Nodoka stared down. Mercifully, there were only a few dead in the music room, and they were staying that way. It was what they'd left behind that was turning out to be trouble.<p>

"Are those ... are they really ... " Azusa said.

"They ... they look like guns to me," Yui replied.

"It ... uh, would seem they left them here last night," Nodoka added. "They were in quite a hurry."

"What are we going to do?" Azusa asked. "Ui! What are you doing?"

Ui held one of the police revolvers in her hands. She was turning it over, inspecting it.

"Ui! Put that down!" Azusa said. "They might be coming back! And if ... if they see you with a gun there'll be trouble!"

"If they're coming back," Nodoka said, her tone thoughtful. "Ui, if I may?"

"What? Oh, sure, Nodoka-chan," Ui replied, carefully handing the gun over to Nodoka. Nodoka looked it over, and then aimed it toward the chalkboard, sighting down the length of her arm.

"Nodoka-chan sure looks like a policewoman right now," Yui said. "I wonder ... "

"Yui!" Azusa and Ui exclaimed simultaneously.

"I just wanna see if I can look like that," Yui replied sheepishly.

"Yui, this is serious," Nodoka said, lowering the revolver. "You never play with a loaded gun. Never," she said, reaching for the button on the left side of the frame. The revolver swung open, and bright brass cartridges tumbled into Nodoka's hand.

"Nodoka-chan ... " Yui said, looking down at Nodoka's gun. "You did that like you knew what you were doing."

Nodoka pressed her lips together. "I have ... interesting relatives. Overseas relatives."

"You've ... shot guns before?" Ui asked, leaning closer.

"Yes," Nodoka replied, nodding jerkily. Azusa looked stunned. Yui was ... unreadable, but Ui ...

"How was it?" Ui pressed.

"It was ... not bad," Nodoka replied slowly. "Not ... bad at all."

"Hmm," Ui said, dropping her chin into her hand. "Is it safe now? The gun, I mean?"

"Absolutely," Nodoka replied.

"May I?"

"Ui ... " Azusa said. Nodoka looked at Azusa, and then back at Ui.

"Yes," Nodoka replied, handing the revolver to Ui. Ui took the gun, and closed the cylinder. In a moment, she aimed just as Nodoka had.

"Like this?"

"Well," Nodoka replied. "It, uh, works better if you hold it firmly with both hands."

"Right," Ui said. "Like this?"

Nodoka nodded. "Just like that. Lean into it a little, and pull the trigger all the way to the rear in one smooth motion."

_Click!_ The hammer slammed into the frame, and both Yui and Azusa jumped. Ui, however, frowned.

"Nodoka-chan, it dropped when I pulled the trigger. Is it supposed to do that?"

"No," Nodoka replied through pursed lips. "If it drops, then you're squeezing with your whole hand," she said, reciting a lesson she'd learned visiting an uncle who lived in the United States. "Only your finger on the trigger should move ... if you hold it firmly enough, there won't be any room for your other fingers to squeeze."

_Click!_

_Click! Click! Click!_ The last three clicks came in quick succession. Ui wore a determined, but very pleased look.

"I ... think I've got this down, Nodoka-chan!"

"That's my Ui," Yui was the first to react.

"Onee-chan," Ui replied, her cheeks starting to redden.

"What are you guys doing?" Azusa said, balling her hands into fists. "Guns are dangerous!"

"So are the infected," Yui replied, resting her hands on Azusa's shoulders. "That's why Nodoka-chan started looking at the guns!"

"You ... you're kidding ... you're kidding, right, Yui-senpai?"

"No," Nodoka said, "Yui gets it." She exhaled sharply, weighing her options. "How many times did we get attacked coming to the school? You saw the same hordes I did!"

"But we had those golf clubs!"

Nodoka nodded. "I know, Azusa-chan," she replied, her voice softening. "I know. But ... how many times can you swing that club before you get tired? I know my arms were getting sore by the time we hid those clubs."

Azusa stared at the ground, and then up at the guns.

"W-well, the police and military had guns ... where are they now? Why aren't they up here ... a ... a ... alive?"

It was Nodoka's turn to look down and close her eyes.

"Oh ... ohh ... ohhh! It's just like _those_ movies," Yui suddenly said. "Where everybody becomes ... um ... "

"Zombies?" Ui suggested. She knew of her parents' copy of _Shaun of the Dead._ It was right next to her mother's _Midnight Riders_ albums.

"Yeah!" Yui said, smacking her fist into her palm. "Where everybody becomes zombies and the movie stars all pick up weapons and fight them!"

"Yui-senpai! Get serious!" Azusa said, her face reddening. "This ... this isn't a movie or a game! We're surrounded by dead people and crazy people and ... and ... Nodoka-senpai wants us to all get guns!"

"No," Nodoka said. "What I want us to be is safe. We all have … people we want to live to see again. Who want to see us again." She put her hands on Azusa's shoulders. "Azusa-chan, listen to me. We have to get through this, the four of us. You can help with that however you want, Azusa," Nodoka held Azusa's gaze, "but for _our_ good, won't you at least try it? Just in case?"

Azusa bit her lip. Nodoka's expression was honest and warm. Behind her, Ui looked at Azusa, and then down at the pistol in her hand. Even Yui was watching Azusa, though her expression seemed to be one of mere curiosity ... her eyes saying: _What will my Azu-nyan do now?_

"Okay, Nodoka-senpai," she said, exhaling sharply. "Sh ... sh ... show me how it's done."

* * *

><p>Ritsu made her way down a deserted street. In her hand, she clutched a frying pan. Her revolvers were tucked into her waistband; she figured if things really got good ... that's when she'd bring them out.<p>

The same could be said for neither Mugi, nor Sumire. Both blonde girls cradled their shotguns in their arms. Mugi, Ritsu noted, kept scanning the houses with her eyes. Her shotgun seemed that much closer to bear than Sumire's; and Ritsu wasn't yet sure what to think of that.

Mio brought up the back of the party. She clutched a crowbar with a white-knuckled grip, manic terror dancing at the edges of her eyes. _At least she remembered to take her gun,_ Ritsu thought, seeing the bulge of the SIG tucked into Mio's pants.

_Thud, thud, thud thud!_

"Did you hear that?" Sumire said, looking up into the hazy sky.

"Sounds like machine-gun fire," Mugi replied. "I heard it sometimes when my father took us to Finland and we visited my grandfather's gun club."

"Think the military's finally responding to all the zombies?" Ritsu said.

"I hope so," Mugi replied with a nod. "It'll be a long trip if they aren't."

Ritsu nodded jerkily. She looked back to Mio, who hadn't said _anything_ during the exchange. Briefly, she and Mio made eye contact, and Ritsu felt a handful of butterflies being released in her stomach.

_You're really starting to worry me, Mio,_ Ritsu thought. Mio's gaze seemed to go right through Ritsu.

"Aha ha ha ha ha!" Ritsu's hand was behind her head. "The school's not much further. We'll be out of here before you guys know it!"

_Damn, that laugh sounded forced,_ the thought bubbled up, unwanted. The second thought to bubble up was how it had no effect on Mio, at all.

"You think Yui-chan and the others will be there?" Mugi said.

"Of course," Ritsu replied, a smile plastered to her face. "Yui's got Ui, after all."

"And what about Azusa-chan?"

"I'm sure Azusa-chan is fine," Ritsu replied with an airy wave of her free hand. "Why she probably got to the school before Yui and Ui did!"

"Stop," Mio said.

"Mio?" Ritsu said, turning back to look at Mio.

"I said st ... stop! How can you say the others will be fine?" Mio said, not moving. The grip on her crowbar seemed to tighten even more.

"Hey," Ritsu replied, walking back to Mio. "We're okay, right? If we can make it, then so can the others."

"The others don't have a Mugi," Mio retorted. "Or a Saito-san."

"Guys," Mugi said, stepping in between them. "Can we not argue? Please?"

"Hey, I'm sorry," Ritsu replied. "I'm trying to stay positive." She looked down at the pavement, and then up at Mio. "Mio ... "

A noise cut off what Ritsu was going to say next. She and Mugi barely had time to jump back as Mio jumped at the noise, her crowbar flailing.

"Mio! Careful with that thing!" Ritsu said. "What was that noise?"

"It almost sounded like someone trying to say something," Sumire said, coming to stand with the others.

"Oh, you're right," Mugi replied. "It definitely sounded like someone trying to say something."

A voice, a man's voice, shouted something. It wasn't the inarticulate grunts or screams of the usual zombies, but at the same time ...

"What is he _saying?_ " Ritsu said, clutching her frying pan even tighter.

"I ... I ... I don't know," Mio replied. "But he's definitely tr ... trying to say _something._ "

The man said something else. His speech was definitely slurred. And very loud.

"Guys, I think we need to keep moving," Mugi said, starting to raise her shotgun. Suddenly, from behind the corner of a house, a large man appeared. He had the grayish pallor of some of the other zombies they'd seen, save for his right arm, which looked like one enormous bruise. An enormous, muscular, bruise.

The zombie shouted inarticulately at them, waving his right arm. _I can almost catch what he's saying,_ was the last thought Ritsu had, as the shout became a howl, and the zombie came at them full-tilt. Her arms came up, and there wasn't time for anything else. The impact knocked the breath right out of her, the frying pan right out of her hands, and she was swept right off her feet. Dimly, she heard bodies hitting the pavement. She heard Sumire scream in pain, but it was a fading sound.

"It's got me!" Ritsu screamed, flailing against the zombie's crushing grip, her body being jostled and jolted as it ran off to who knew where.

Suddenly, Ritsu's entire world exploded in pain and stars as she, and the zombie, slammed into a wall. She gasped, each heave of her chest bringing waves of agony. The zombie still held her fast, its grip like steel.

"Ritsuuuu!" Mio screamed somewhere behind. There were pounding footsteps. "Ritsuuuuu!"

_WHAM!_ The zombie slammed Ritsu into the pavement. The world blurred as her head bounced off the unyielding surface. Her body screamed as she was snatched off the ground.

_WHAM!_ Ritsu's breath left her in an explosive gasp. The footsteps closed. "Oh no! Ritsu!" Mio sounded frantic.

"Mio!" Ritsu half-screamed, half-gasped; as the zombie hauled her off the ground. She clawed desperately at its arm.

_WHAM!_ Her hands were torn away by the force of the impact. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mio.

"Mioooo! Shoot the big guy pounding me into the ground!"

Mio was snatched out of her vision, and the world snapped around as she was yanked off the ground.

"Mioooo!" The name stretched into a scream as the zombie slammed Ritsu into the ground. Everything bounced willy-nilly off the ground. Everything hurt.

_Pop!_

_Pop! Pop! Pop!_

Sparks flashed off the pavement by Ritsu's face, and she involuntarily screamed. The zombie grunted, but picked her off the ground again. She tried desperately to pry the zombie's fingers open, but they just wouldn't give.

_Pop! Pop! Pop!_

_WHAM!_ Ritsu's hands fell away, her strength fleeing. The world was starting to get fuzzy.

_This is it,_ Ritsu thought. _This is really it ... I'm going to die ..._

She felt herself leaving the ground, her body limp, ragdoll-like.

_KA-BOOM!_

Ritsu fell, but she barely felt the impact, as she sprawled out onto the cold blacktop. A dark shape fell beside her, the monster zombie that had been trying to kill her. She tried to move, but nothing wanted to respond right. Her head rolled back, and she only saw hazy blue sky.

And, suddenly, a face framed with long, blonde, hair filled her whole world.

"Ricchan!" Mugi yelled. "Ricchan! Can ... can you get up?"

Ritsu managed a weak smile.

"I ... have seriously ... felt better ... "

Mugi set her shotgun down to one side, gingerly sliding an arm under Ritsu. At the corner of her vision, she saw Sumire making her way toward them, the pain of the effort showing in her eyes.

"Let's get you up," Mugi said, insistently. "I'm sure we've drawn attention to ourselves."

Ritsu's heart leapt at that, and that triggered a pounding in her skull that brought tears to her eyes.

_Don't be such a baby! You've felt worse!_ She screamed at herself, forcing herself into a sitting position through sheer willpower alone. She took a shuddering breath, her ribs protesting the whole way.

"I'm ... I'm good," she managed. "Get me up."

She blinked furiously, trying to clear the haze that filled her world. Suddenly, she saw Mio, just a little ahead of her and Mugi, staring down.

"Mio," Ritsu said. Mio spun around to face her. In her hands, she clutched the SIG that Ritsu had given her the night before. The slide was locked back.

"R ... R ... Ritsu ... " She said, in a terrified tone of voice Ritsu had heard all too often. Her eyes were focused on her gun.

"Mio," Ritsu said, "it's okay ... "

"R ... R ... Ritsu!" Mio repeated. "I ... I ... I need a bigger gun."

Ritsu's jaw dropped.

"Huh?"

"I need a bigger gun!" Mio said. She dropped to her knees, her eyes boring into Ritsu's. "Oh my God, I need a bigger gun!"

"Mio, calm down," Ritsu said gamely, rubbing the back of her head.

"Don't you get it? That th ... th ... thing nearly killed you! I tried ... and I couldn't ... Ritsu! I need a bigger gun! Do you hear me?"

"Mio!" Ritsu said, chuckling. "I ... I never thought I'd see the day ... "

"I ... " Mio's eyes went wide. She furiously blinked back her tears, rocked back on her heels, crossed her arms over her chest, and leveled her best glare at Ritsu. "Well, if you're going to insist on getting chased, mobbed, and charged all the time ... then I'm going to need something to better protect you from yourself! Baka Ritsu."

Ritsu dragged herself to her knees, leaning toward Mio. "Now that's the Akiyama-san I'm used to," she said. "Though, don't you worry, we will find you a bigger gun. And," she glanced down to her waistband, where her revolvers remained, undrawn, "one for me too." She pulled out one gun, and then the second. "Until then ... no more improvised weapons for me," she said.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<br>**- Sorry for the delay in getting Chapter Six out. My day job can be a bear sometimes, and I felt the need to revise the outline for the next few chapters.  
>- Nodoka's relatives aren't mentioned in the anime or manga. So, for purposes of advancing the plot, I gave her an American relative. It does fit in with her canon desire to see foreign places and to study abroad. More importantly, it's a plausible way to introduce Yui's group of Survivors to guns.<br>- Ui shows off her mastery of the Hirasawa Instant-Learning Perk. Since this isn't a K-ON! x Fallout fanfic, this is the last time you'll see it referred to as such. The advice Nodoka gives to Ui comes right out of _The Gun Digest Book of Combat Handgunnery._  
>- Charger!<br>- The goal is to have Ritsu's and Yui's bands of Survivors meet up at some point in the story. It wouldn't quite be the same K-ON! without getting the band back together...  
>- This chapter has been revised from its original posted version. I've been revising the chapters to clean up mistakes that escaped my original proofreading, and to generally tighten up the writing ... in the hopes of imposing some consistency between the early chapters and the later ones.<br>- This one does have a little new content. Re-reading it, it occurred to me that Nodoka was a little _too_ cool and collected, and she took charge much too quickly (without any real explanation.) I made some additions to make her actions a little more plausible.


	7. Chapter 6

**Dead Run:**  
><em>You can't run away from your doom.<em>

"To anyone who can hear this, proceed to University Hospital for evacuation! Repeat, proceed to University Hospital for evacuation!"

The thunder of the helicopter rotor blades rattled the windows of the clubroom. The olive drab MD-500 wheeled around the grounds of the school, passing the clubroom at eye level. It then shot upward, the rotor wash battering at the windows, knocking off papers that Nodoka had laid out on one of the tables.

"Wow, I never thought I'd see one of those up close," Yui said, gaping at the helicopter.

"But we went on a helicopter ride when we were little and Mom and Dad took us overseas, Onee-chan," Ui replied.

"Aww, really?"

"Yui! Ui! What are you standing around for," Nodoka said, bursting into the room. "Get your stuff together, we're getting out of here!"

"Nodoka-chan?" Yui said, looking at Nodoka. "So soon?"

"I'm sorry, Yui," Nodoka replied. "I know you wanted to stay longer, but that helicopter changes things. We now know where the military has regrouped. And," she glanced toward the windows, "as a practical matter, that helicopter buzzing around the school is sure to attract attention we _don't_ want."

"But ... but ... what about the others?"

"Yui," Nodoka said, putting her hand on Yui's shoulder. "I'm very sorry, but the others are just going to have to catch up."

Squeaking interrupted them. They turned, in time to see Ui starting to write on the whiteboard.

"Ui?"

"The others should know where to go," Ui replied, not looking back.

"Ui," now it was Yui's turn.

"Nodoka-chan has a good point, Onee-chan," Ui replied. "I wanna see the others again too, but we really should get going to the hospital."

"Ui," Yui echoed, with a profound sense of disappointment in her voice.

"Does anyone even know where the hospital _is_?" Azusa said, emerging from the music room with her pack already on.

"The rail line isn't far from here," Nodoka replied, after several moments. "I know there's a junction that should lead right to University Hospital."

"Is ... is that safe?"

Nodoka looked down at the floor, at the revolver tucked in a holster at her hip, and then back up at Azusa.

"Don't think there'd be too many infected on the tracks. Probably be safer than going on the streets."

"I guess that sounds like a plan, then," Azusa replied. Just then, Ui capped the marker, and set it back down.

"That looks good," Nodoka said, after several moments.

"We should sign it in some way!" Yui said. "Y'know ... to let the others know it was us!"

"I ... " Nodoka started to say.

"Oooh! Excellent idea, Onee-chan!" Ui said, uncapping the marker, and signing the board with a flourish.

"I like that! Let me have that marker!" Yui said, snatching the marker from Ui's hand. She scribbled a quick sketch, and then signed her name, before thrusting the marker in front of Azusa. "Your turn, Azu-nyan!"

"I ... " Azusa started to say, looking at both Ui and Yui. "Okay, fine," she finished, taking the marker. She signed her name, just under Yui's, and handed the marker back to her.

"Nodoka-chan, it's your turn," Yui said, extending the marker toward Nodoka.

"Do I have to?" Nodoka said, staring down at the marker.

"Yes! It won't be complete without you!"

"Come on, Nodoka-chan," Ui added.

"I signed it, you should too," Azusa said.

Nodoka exhaled and took the marker. "Okay ... I'll do it," she said. Her signature was a quick, perfunctory, thing. "Can we please get going now? The longer we stay ... the more likely we'll be mobbed trying to get out."

Yui dashed into the closet, emerging with both her backpack ... and her guitar.

"I'm ready!"

"Yui," Nodoka said, trying to decide whether or not it'd be worth the argument. "Okay ... all right. Ui?"

"I'm ready," Ui said, glancing toward her sister. She and Nodoka exchanged looks, and both girls exchanged one with Azusa.

"Let's get out of here, then, guys," Nodoka said, turning toward the door.

* * *

><p>Nodoka was the first out the door. Broken glass glittered in the sunlight, catching reflections of the dark crimson that smeared the walls. Several dead bodies were draped on the rails and on the landings, with mouths and claw-like hands caked in dried blood.<p>

"Uh ... try not to look at the bodies," Nodoka suggested, coughing nervously.

"They ... they're everywhere," Azusa said.

"Eh? Azu-nyan ... that hurts," Yui said. "Not so tight."

Broken glass and blood lined the hallway. Bullet holes pockmarked the walls and doors; especially outside one classroom, which had bodies piled haphazardly in front of the door. The wall behind them was sprayed in blackened blood.

"I-I don't think I'm hungry anymore," Yui said, her voice tiny. Her hand found Azusa's, and squeezed tightly.

"I'll … make us all something later that'll ... make us all forget this," Ui replied, her eyes darting up and down the hallway.

_"Aiyeee!"_

The man lunged to his feet, blood pouring from his mouth. He half-lurched, half-ran, toward the girls.

_BAM!_

The man was on his knees, looking down at the bloom of crimson spreading outward from his belly. He looked up at the girls, hissed again, and tried to struggle to his feet.

_BAM!_

Bits of pink exploded from the back of the man's head, and he fell backward. Azusa, Yui, and Ui gaped at the man ... but their stares slowly drifted back to Nodoka, who held her revolver in front of her with a white-knuckled grip.

"You ... you shot him," Azusa was the first to speak, her eyes darting back to the dead man lying in a pool of his own blood.

"I ... " Nodoka started to say. "I-I had to." She took a deep breath, and another, trying to still her sudden urge to shake. "I'm sorry ... "

"He moved _fast_," Yui, said, her eyes wide. "Looked dead one second, and after us the next."

Nodoka cleared her throat, grateful for the opportunity to compose herself. "And," she said, adjusting her glasses, "that's why we need to be careful, guys. A little faster and ... "

The girls each shivered at that.

"Let's ... let's all get outside," Ui said, her hand stealing toward her own gun.

"Yeah ... outside ... " Azusa echoed.

They crept, very carefully, past the dead man, and past the others in the hallway.

"Onee-chan!"

Two infected, a man and a woman, lunged at Yui. Nodoka was already wheeling around.

_BAM!_

The man collapsed, twitching, at Yui's feet. He rolled onto his back, and his eyes shone yellow in the light.

"His ... his eyes!" Yui said, jumping back again. The woman swiped at Yui, her blood-caked fingernails barely missing Yui's face.

_BAM! BAM!_

Nodoka and Ui fired, and the woman crumpled to the ground.

"Ui!" Azusa said, staring. Yui stared at her younger sister as well. The clatter of empty shells hitting the floor was nearly deafening.

"Nodoka-chan," Ui said, staring over the sights of her gun.

"Yes, Ui," Nodoka replied, slowly reloading her own revolver. Her hands were shaking.

"I ... "

"Yes ... you did," Nodoka replied. There was no use sugar-coating it. "It's ... it's just like with the golf clubs. N-nothing different," she said.

"Nothing ... different?"

"No," Nodoka replied. "This infection ... it's making people not people anymore," she closed the cylinder of her revolver and gestured to the faint yellow eyeshine of the dead around them. "We're doing what we have to ... for each other."

"R-right," Ui replied, somehow closing the cylinder of her gun. "For us. For Onee-chan. For you and Azusa-chan. But ... still ... " she trailed off, staring at the dead and the newly dead.

"Hey, hey, we'll be just fine," Yui, said. "As long as we got each other." She conspicuously looked away from the dead infected, draping her arms around Ui and Nodoka.

"Um, guys," Azusa said, biting her lip. "Can we _please_ get out of here now? I'm hearing lots of noises ... I think we're drawing attention to ourselves."

* * *

><p><em>CRASH!<em>

"Find something to bar the doors with! Hurry!" Nodoka yelled, as she and Ui pushed against the doors at the entrance of the school.

"Like what? Uiii! What do I do?"

"Anything, Onee-chan!" Ui shouted. "They're right behind us!"

"Yui-senpai! Help me with this!" Azusa shouted, pulling at a length of bloodstained rebar. The other end was held firmly in the grasp of one of the corpses scattered in front of the school.

"Azu-nyan ... ugh ... coming!" Yui grabbed at the rebar and pulled with Azusa.

_Crunch!_

The doors shook as Nodoka and Ui leaned on them. There was the hammering of fists, as someone had boarded up the windows.

"Onee-chan! Hurry!"

"Right!" Yui said, heaving mightily. She and Azusa yanked the length of rebar free from the corpses, and dashed back to the entrance of the school.

"Shove it through the handles! Quickly!"

"Nodoka-senpai! It won't fit!"

"Push harder!"

"I'm trying, I'm trying!"

_Thump! Thud! Crash!_

The pounding at the door was growing more insistent. Suddenly, there was a screeching, scraping sound, as Yui and Azusa forced the rebar through the door handles. Nodoka and Ui jumped back, almost as one, with Ui yanking at Yui's sleeve.

"Get back! Get back!" Nodoka said, pulling her revolver.

_BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!_

Splinters exploded from the doors. Behind them, came muffled screams. Brass clattered to the concrete as Nodoka hurried to reload her gun.

"All of you shoot the doors! Shoot the doors!"

"R-right!" Ui replied. "C'mon, Onee-chan! Do it with me!"

More splinters exploded from the doors, as the girls unloaded on them. Soon, a heavy silence descended over Sakuragaoka High, and the girls stood amidst a cloud of gun smoke.

"Nodoka-chan ... did ... did we get them?" Ui said, breathing hard.

"I ... uh ... I think so," Nodoka replied, straining to listen for more of the infected.

"I don't hear any more bad people," Yui said.

"Doesn't mean there aren't any more," Azusa replied. "We ... we made a lot of noise just now."

"You're right," Nodoka said, sighing softly. She looked across the school grounds. Across the puddles and streaks of thick blood. Across the scattered, mangled, bodies. Her gaze settled on the entrance, where the wreckage of the JSDF vehicles and the ambulance were.

"Let's ... have a look at those vehicles over there."

"Those vehicles? The wrecks? Nodoka-senpai! What for?" Azusa said, her hand coming up to her mouth.

"Something a little better than these," Nodoka replied, shoving her revolver back into its holster. "Getting out of the school was bad enough," she said, exhaling sharply.

"Oh! Does that mean it might be safer hanging out here?"

"Onee-chan ... only if you want us to fight our way all the way back up to the third floor."

"Don't you get it," Azusa snapped. "These," she gestured at the gun on her hip, "are what got us into this! Those people ... whatever they are; are clearly bothered by noise! And these things _make noise!_ My ears are still ringing!"

"But Azu-nyan, they seem to pick up on us just because we're okay and they're not," the others' heads snapped toward Yui.

"How do you know that!" Azusa said, balling her hands into fists.

Yui wrinkled her nose, slowly looking at the scattered corpses. "Th ... the ... these people don't have guns. And they look ... eaten," she said, swallowing hard.

"Well," Azusa shot back.

"Well, that's enough," Nodoka interrupted. "I'm sorry, but we need to get going. Yes, shooting them makes noise; but ... so does fighting about it."

Azusa's jaw snapped shut.

"We can figure all this out later," Nodoka said. "For now, we're out in the open, we're vulnerable, and the hospital's a _long_ ways away."

"C'mon, Azu-nyan, I can protect you like a ninja ... a _stealthy_ ninja," Yui said, still looking green, but raising one knee and both hands anyway. "Auwaaaaaah!"

Azusa blinked furiously. "Oh sh ... shut up, Yui-senpai."

"Hey guys!" Ui shouted, waving from the back of one of the military trucks. "There's weapons over here!"

Azusa suddenly found herself being pulled along, hand-in-hand, by Yui. Nodoka was just ahead of them both, leaning over to peer into the back of the truck.

"These poor men," Ui said, glancing at the dead military men scattered around the crumpled ambulance.

"Yeah," Nodoka finally managed, staring into the back of the truck.

"These look brand-new," Ui said.

"They never got the chance to use them," Nodoka replied.

"These?" Yui said. She held up a gun that looked much like a miniature Uzi. Azusa stared at her, not sure how Yui had gotten her free hand on that gun so quickly.

"Onee-chan!"

Nodoka gave Ui a sidelong glance and a quick shake of her head. She adjusted her glasses and looked at Yui.

"Yes," she said. "Those. And these," she said, reaching into the back of the truck. She pulled out a long, black, rifle; and then looked it over. "It's not an AR-15 ... but ... I guess I can shoot it."

Ui nodded sharply, and reached into the back of the truck herself.

"If you can, then so can I," she said. "Onee-chan! Be careful with that!"

"It's cute," Yui replied, looking at the submachine gun. "Very, very cute! Don't you think so, Azu-nyan?"

"You've got a strange definition of 'cute,' Yui-senpai," Azusa replied. She wasn't even going to _try_ to argue over this one. "But, we already knew this," she said instead, motioning to Yui's guitar case.

"Well, cute things are cute!" Yui said, defensively pulling the submachine gun closer.

"Yui," Nodoka said, thrusting a handful of boxy black magazines in Yui's face. "You'll need these too ... but wouldn't one of these be better?"

Yui looked at Nodoka, and then Ui. "We've got two already," she replied. "It's like being in a band, right? I can't imagine Mio-chan on anything but bass, or Ricchan on anything but drums. Anyway, those guns look heavy, and I'm already carrying Gitah."

Silence greeted her.

"Nodoka-chan," Ui said, after a few, long, moments. "You look like an anime figurine."

Nodoka's mouth snapped shut and she blinked quickly.

"Yes ... right," she said. "Sorry." She looked to Azusa. This would be the moment of truth. "Azusa-chan," she said. "It's down to you."

Azusa looked right back at Nodoka and opened her mouth to answer.

"What's that?" Yui said. Azusa spun to face her, but suddenly, she heard the sound of footfalls. _Lots_ of footfalls. Footfalls, and grunts, and moans. Grunts, moans, and screams that flowed together into a single, chaotic, howl.

"What I was afraid of," Nodoka replied. Suddenly, Azusa found herself with Nodoka's rifle. Nodoka grabbed another one, and then started stuffing as many rifle magazines into her bag as possible. "Ui! Grab as many of these as you can carry! Yui! Azusa! Back away from the gates! Go back toward the school!"

"We just got out of there!" Azusa said, backing up all the same.

"They're all going to come right over those trucks," Nodoka replied. There were metallic clicks and thumps as she shoved a magazine into her rifle. Ui echoed her movements an instant later. Both girls started backing up, just as Yui and Azusa were doing.

The snarls and growls beyond the school walls grew louder and closer. Suddenly, there was the scrabbling, scratching, sound of fingernails and feet digging into the walls. Pale, bloodstained, figures appeared on the top of the wall, reaching toward the girls with claw-like hands. More figures scrambled over the wreckage of the military trucks, and over the corpses of the fallen.

"Ui! Azusa! Follow my lead!" Nodoka shouted, pulling on the charging handle of her rifle, bringing it up to her shoulder.

_Crack-crack-crack!_

The sound of Nodoka's rifle briefly overwhelmed the screams of the infected. One of the shapes climbing the wall pitched backward.

_Crack-crack-crack!_

Two zombies tumbled over the top of a truck, crimson spraying in broad arcs.

The symphony of destruction doubled in pitch, as Ui began to shoot at the zombies as she saw Nodoka do. Zombies crumpled to the ground. Some struggled back to their feet, clutching their chests, their bellies, as they did so.

"We've _all_ gotta shoot these things!" Ui yelled. "Onee-chan! Azusa-chan! Help!"

"R ... r ... right!" Yui replied, fiddling with her submachine gun. Suddenly, a staccato burst of gunfire filled the air, followed by the _whinging_ of ricocheting bullets.

"Got it!" Yui added.

Nodoka shut it all out. She felt her world narrowing. It was just her, the front sight of her rifle, and a seemingly never-ending parade of growling, hissing, screaming figures. No time to think … it was just what she wanted.

"Mwahah! Hehehehe ... eheh ... hah ... wheee!"

_Laughter?_

_There!_

She saw it. One of them, hunched over, wearing an anime t-shirt. Eying her with malice, his laughter cutting through the horde.

_Crack-crack-crack!_

The abomination tumbled forward. Nodoka wasn't taking any chances. At the periphery of her vision, she saw several more zombies fall. Their comrades, unfazed, continued to swarm toward the girls with murder in their eyes.

"I ... I'm reloading!" Ui yelled.

The tunnel vision vanished.

"I've got you," Nodoka said, firing at a pair of zombies angling toward Ui, as she fumbled with another magazine. And then, the magazine was shoved home.

"Thanks!" Ui said. "Look out," she screamed, firing her rifle.

A zombie pitched forward, almost at Nodoka's feet.

There was another scream. One of many. It didn't register with Nodoka. The next one, a high-pitched shriek of terror, did.

"Azu-nyan!" Yui shouted. Nodoka glanced back. Azusa was down, and a zombie wearing a tracksuit was straddling her, beating on her.

"Onee-chan!" Ui shouted in turn.

"Ui! No!" Nodoka yelled. "Don't stop shooting! I can't hold them all back myself! _Ui!_"

Yui heard none of this. She only saw the zombie on Azusa. She only saw Azusa flailing, desperately trying to stop the zombie's assault on her.

"Get off my Azu-nyan!" With strength that surprised her, Yui hit the hooded man over and over. Suddenly, he rolled back off Azusa, coming to a crouch, growling at Yui.

Suddenly, the zombie was knocked backward, as Azusa kicked out. He staggered to his feet, and then his chest and face became a bloody mess as Yui's submachine gun spoke death. Even as the man fell, Yui filled her vision.

"Azu-nyan! Azu-nyan! Are you okay? Did you get bit?"

"Nuh uh," Azusa replied numbly, grabbing Yui's hand. Yui pulled her up and ...

"Yui-senpai! Down!"

The man behind Yui swung at her, barely missing. Without thinking, Azusa pulled her backpack off, swinging it at the man. It made jarring contact, and the man stumbled. Yui swung her submachine gun at him, whipping the barrel across his face. The man tumbled to the ground.

"My Azu-nyan ... you saved me!"

"It's nothing ... Yui-senpai! The others!" Azusa scrambled to her feet.

A zombie, about to swipe at Nodoka, staggered back as Ui clubbed it with her rifle.

_Crack!_

The zombie fell.

_Crack-crack!_

Another zombie fell, and then Nodoka was reaching for another magazine.

Staccato thunder erupted at Azusa's side as Yui fired at the zombies.

_Click!_

Yui was out. She stared blankly at her submachine gun. Yet, she was no longer in danger. Ui and Nodoka stared out over the school grounds, a sheen of sweat on their brows. The air shimmered over the barrels of their rifles, and that was the only movement to be seen.

"We ... we did it," Ui said, screening the sunlight with her hand.

"Yeah," Nodoka replied, with a small frown. "We did ... we made it out of the school."

"Onee-chan! Azusa-chan!" Ui said, turning away from Nodoka. "Are you guys okay?"

"Yeah," Azusa replied. Yui nodded quickly. "We're good, Ui!"

"What happened to you, Azusa?" Nodoka said.

"I got pounced on," Azusa replied. "I ... I think he came from right above me ... there wasn't any time to think, I was just suddenly on the ground."

Nodoka nodded mutely, staring past Azusa. She wouldn't have believed Azusa if she hadn't seen her rifle. The gun lay on the ground, some yards away. Its polymer stock was broken into two pieces ... it was a wonder Azusa seemed no worse for wear. Nodoka then glanced at the top of the school. If Azusa's attacker had come from straight up ... then they'd have to watch every rooftop from now on. There were a lot of rooftops between them and the hospital.

"Let's get you another gun, Azusa," she said. Azusa made a face, and Nodoka shook her head. "I'm sorry, but if they keep swarming us three-dozen at a time, we're going to need all the help we can get just to make it to the hospital."

"Yes, right," Azusa replied. "Let's just ... let's just get out of here."

Nodoka smiled.

"There's a sentiment I can buy into," she said. "It's time we got to the rail line, if we want to make the hospital before nightfall."

* * *

><p>"What the hell happened here?" Ritsu said, almost gagging.<p>

"I ... I'll be outside!" Mio said, taking a step back, before wheeling around and dashing out of the garage.

The walls of the garage were coated in blood and unidentifiable bits of gore. Dead zombies were piled on the floor; their faces and bodies mangled by deep, ragged, cuts. At the back wall, was the body of black-haired teenaged girl. The red hair clips in her hair reminded Ritsu of Yui, and her purple-rimmed glasses reminded her of Nodoka.

"Nevermind, I think I see now," she said. At the girl's side was a hedge trimmer, its blades clogged with viscera.

"Onee-chan," Sumire said, looking to Mugi, her eyes bright.

"What is it, Sumire?"

"Th ... the wall," Sumire said. Ritsu's eyes snapped up to where Sumire was pointing. Amidst the splattered blood was a message scrawled out in black marker. Ritsu leaned forward, trying to make out the writing.

_"Mom, Dad:_

_Brothers are too sick to leave the house._

_I don't know if we'll make it, but: _

_I will fight to the end, for them, if I have to._

_Love, always,_

_Nao Okuda"_

Hearing Mugi read the note hit Ritsu like a punch to the gut.

"I'm ... getting the feeling we're not going to find much here. Nothing we'll want to find," she managed.

"But her brothers," Sumire started to say, as Mugi and Ritsu shook their heads.

"Her brothers are probably like Sawa-ch ... Yamanaka-san now," Mugi replied, looking away.

Ritsu looked at the barricaded door to the house.

"I-I don't think I want to go in there and look. And I don't wanna leave Mio out there by herself," she said, gesturing outside.

"Yes," Mugi said, putting her hand on Sumire's shoulder. "Mio-chan's waiting for us."

Sumire nodded slowly, wiping her eyes. Ritsu bit her lip, wondering if, perhaps, Sumire felt some connection to the dead girl. All Ritsu knew was that whoever Nao Okuda had been, she'd killed a _lot_ of zombies.

Silently, the girls exited the garage. They found Mio leaning against a parked car, looking pale.

"We're back, Mio," Ritsu said, draping an arm around Mio's shoulder. "You okay?"

"I ... yeah," Mio replied. "Did ... did you find anything?"

"Nuh uh," Ritsu said, shaking her head. "Only zombies."

"Zombies, huh?"

"Yeah. At least they were all dead," Ritsu replied, squeezing Mio's shoulders.

"Do you guys hear that?" Mugi said, looking up.

"What, the gunfire?" Ritsu replied, standing up.

"Yes," Mugi said. "It sounds like it's coming from the school. I'm sure of it."

Ritsu frowned, turning her head toward the school. It sounded like gunfire, all right, a _lot_ of gunfire.

"Y'know," she said, "you're right. Someone's doing a lot of shooting."

"Didn't we also hear a helicopter that way," Mio said, pushing herself up.

"That's right too," Ritsu replied. "Hey, you suppose that means the school's not overrun yet?"

Mio's face lit up.

"Ritsu!" Mio said. "What are we standing around for? If the military's got the school under control, shouldn't we be trying to get there faster?"

Ritsu gave Mio a pained smile, even as the tall girl's expression fell.

"I'm sorry, Ritsu," Mio said, looking down at the pavement. "Y-you too, Sumire-san."

"It's okay, it's been a long morning," Ritsu replied. "We'll be able to move faster once I get something in me for the pain," she said, looking down the street. "Hopefully we won't have much further to look. I think Nao-san's trick with the hedge trimmer might've cleared out the surrounding houses for us."

"Nao-san?" Mio echoed. Ritsu closed her eyes.

"Right. Nao is the name of the girl responsible for what we saw in the garage. C'mon, let's go see if my gut feeling's right."

* * *

><p>The door to this house looked like it was already open. The bloody impressions of fists and fingers told Ritsu that it'd been the doing of zombies. She lifted her revolver and made to push the door open.<p>

Darkness.

It was dark inside. And quiet. Ritsu looked behind her, sighing softly as she caught Mugi's blue eyes. The other girl cradled her shotgun and smiled at Ritsu.

Ritsu pushed the door open wide and reached for the light switch.

_Click._

There were lights on inside, now. It smelled _bad._ Like some unholy combination of sewer and spoiled meat. But it was quiet. Tomb-like, even. Ritsu sighed again, starting to lower her revolver.

"Aiyeee!"

The woman came from one of the rooms, lunging at Ritsu with hands outstretched.

Ritsu screamed, swinging her revolver at the woman. She was splattered with drool and ichor as she pistol-whipped the woman across the face. The woman stumbled back, and ...

_BAM!_

Ritsu coughed violently. Anything to remove the vile taste of blood from her mouth. The woman laid before her, one eye a pulpy, bloody, ruin.

Suddenly, Mugi was at Ritsu's side, pressing a bottle to her lips.

"Just rinse your mouth out ... don't swallow, Ricchan!"

Ritsu didn't understand until the inside of her mouth caught fire. She spat violently and screamed.

"What is that!?"

"Some of the vodka you found last night," Mugi replied.

Ritsu coughed and wiped her mouth.

"Thanks, Mugi," she said. "If I ever take up drinking, I'm going to stick with good old Japanese sake!"

"Yes," Mugi replied, capping the flask. She looked around and exhaled.

"I ... think the coast is clear. Anything else would've come after us by now."

Ritsu nodded convulsively. Her chest _ached_ after that coughing fit, and her stomach was starting to churn as she asked herself whether she managed to swallow any zombie blood and brains.

"On ... on second thought, let me have that bottle again."

"Ritsu?"

"Now, Mugi," Ritsu replied, fixing Mugi in her most earnest stare. Mugi nodded once and handed over the flask, which glinted in the dim light. Ritsu uncapped it and took one swallow of vodka. It felt like drinking fire, and hit her stomach like a firecracker. Then, she started coughing again, somehow managing to hold onto the flask. She handed it back to Mugi, smiling at her through teary eyes.

"In ... insurance," she said.

Mugi nodded quietly. "If we find any medicine, it might not get along with your ... drink."

"That's a chance I'm willing to take," Ritsu replied, already starting to feel her eyeballs floating ... vodka and schoolgirls did **not** go well together.

They made a beeline for the bathroom. The contents of the medicine cabinet had been strewn across the bathroom, but Ritsu recognized one of the bottles.

"I'll hold onto these pills," she said, bending down to pick up the bottle of painkillers. "Think Sumire could use these?"

Mugi frowned at the bottle. It was a prescription painkiller. She shook her head.

"Not right now," she said. "We had different drugs ... maybe later, when they've worked through her system."

Ritsu nodded, uncapping the bottle. "Okay. You wouldn't happen to have anything other than vodka, would you?"

Mugi slung her shotgun back, reaching into her backpack for a Thermos.

"I made extra tea this morning," she said, frowning. "I'm sorry, in advance."

Ritsu's frown echoed Mugi's. "What for?"

"It ... it won't be as good as what we have in the clubroom." Mugi closed her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Shh," Ritsu said, putting a hand on Mugi's shoulder. "You made it. That automatically makes it Houkago Tea Time quality," she added, smiling at Mugi. Mugi opened her bright blue eyes, and wanly smiled back. Ritsu nodded and took the Thermos. She dropped two pills onto her tongue, and swallowed them as quickly as she dared. The tea was still _very_ hot, and for a second time, she felt like she was drinking fire.

"Thank you, Mugi," she said. "That'll last for a bit ... now to find some _real_ first aid."

* * *

><p>"I hear something," Ui said, coming to a sudden stop. It'd been a while since they'd found the rail line. The trains weren't running, so they'd just been walking alongside the tracks.<p>

"It sounds like crying," Nodoka said, frowning, lowering her rifle and looking down toward the distant platform.

"Azu-nyan, is that you?" Yui said, slipping her arms around Azusa.

Azusa exhaled sharply, closing her eyes. "Wh-why would I even do something like that _right now,_ Yui-senpai?"

"That sounds like Matsumoto-san," Nodoka said, holding up her hand. Yui looked up, loosening her grip on Azusa.

"Oh! You're right," Yui replied. "That's definitely Mifuyu," she said, her face dropping into a frown. "Why is she crying like that?"

"I don't like the sound of it, Onee-chan," Ui said, beginning to edge ahead of Yui.

"Mifuyu!" A voice called out. "Mifuyuuu! Wait up!"

"Nojima-san?" Nodoka said, staring down toward the platform. Suddenly, a pale, barely-clothed, figure stumbled out from behind the ticket booth, clutching her face in her hands. The figure staggered toward the edge of the platform, seemingly unaware of the drop ahead. Suddenly, she fell off, landing face-first in the gravel.

"Matsumoto ... san," Yui said, strangely mute, as the figure pulled itself into a sitting position. She looked briefly down the tracks at the girls, dropped her face into her hands, and resumed sobbing.

"Mifuyu! Are you okay!" Chika Nojima appeared from behind the ticket booth, her red hair bright in the sun. "Mifuyu!"

"Nojima-san!" Nodoka shouted. Chika looked up toward them with a start.

"Manabe-san? Hirasawa-san? Oh my God! I was starting to think I was the only one!"

"Chika-chan!" Yui shouted. "What's wrong with Mifuyu?"

"I don't know!" Chika shouted back. "Hold on!" She knelt down at the edge of the platform and said something the others couldn't hear. Suddenly, Mifuyu looked up at Chika; her body seeming to tense up, and the sobbing came to a complete stop.

"Be careful, Onee-chan!" Ui said, her eyes focused on Mifuyu. Azusa was staring at Mifuyu and Chika as well.

Suddenly Mifuyu scrambled back, away from Chika, as the latter swung her legs over the edge of the platform.

"Is she ... growling?" Nodoka said, frowning.

"Mifuyu ... " Yui said, her expression shifting.

"This doesn't look good," Ui put herself completely in front of Yui. Mifuyu's growling became more and more of an angry howl. Chika was gesturing at Mifuyu, scraps of her words coming back to the others.

"That girl looks ready to blow," Azusa said, her voice soft. "Really ready to blow ... "

_**"Aiyeeeee!"**_

Mifuyu Matsumoto screamed as Chika jumped off the platform, landing next to her. Suddenly she was on her feet, and right up next to Chika, her arms a blur. Bright arcs of glittering red cut into the hazy sunlight. Chika's arms flew up, even as her body was falling back. Vivid crimson splashed across Mifuyu's face and arms. Mifuyu screamed, and screamed, but there was no sound from Chika. No sound, at all, as she crumpled into the gravel.

Yui looked on, her expression one of numb horror. Even Nodoka seemed frozen as Mifuyu turned toward them, screaming, waving her bloodied, claw-like, hands.

_Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch!_

Mifuyu was running toward them, her arms outstretched. Wailing and pale, she looked like some banshee charging them from the mists.

Staccato bursts of gunfire thundered out. Ui was on one knee, firing her rifle over and over. Mifuyu stumbled with each hit, pushing stubbornly toward them.

_Pop! Pop, pop!_

Azusa joined in, pulling the trigger of her revolver as fast as she could. With a wail, Mifuyu's dash came to a stumbling, shambling, halt. She clutched her bloodied stomach, and then pitched forward into the gravel, practically at their feet.

"Ui!" Yui said, starting to shake off her shock. "Y ... you ... you ... you just killed Ma ... Ma ... Matsumoto-san."

With shaky hands, Ui dropped an empty magazine from her rifle, and slammed a fresh one home.

"I'm sorry, Onee-chan, I just killed a z ... a zombie."

"Did you see what she did to that girl?" Azusa said, drawing a shuddering breath. "N ... N ... Nodoka-senpai? I think I need you to help me reload this."

Nodoka blinked rapidly, looking up from Mifuyu's body. She stared up at Chika, who was surrounded by a _lot_ of blood.

"I ... ah ... right," she said, trying to shake off her shock. _Why did I freeze like that?_ She forced herself to walk back to Azusa and take the younger girl's gun. Slowly, deliberately, she opened the cylinder; dropping five empty cartridges onto the gravel. _Was it because they were my classmates?_ She fished out five new .38 Special rounds from her pocket, dropping each one into its appointed slot.

_I can't let that happen again,_ Nodoka thought. _I can't let anyone else put these three at risk! Not Yui or Ui. Not Azusa._

"Good as new," Nodoka said, her voice slow and deliberate. "You got it now, Azusa-chan?"

Azusa accepted the revolver, looking up at Nodoka. "Y-yeah, I think I'm getting it."

"That's good ... that's good," Nodoka replied. "Good job back there."

"I'd have thought you would've been first to shoot," Azusa said, looking down. "Like earlier today."

Nodoka half-smiled, and half-grimaced. For the first time, she felt like crying. _I should have! I … I could've lost __**them**__!_

"I guess we're all going to take turns at this," Ui said. "I'm sure Azusa-chan, or I, would've frozen if it'd been, like, Jun."

Azusa swallowed, looking down at the gravel. She hadn't heard from Jun since all of this had started.

"As long as we watch each other," Nodoka finally said, "we should be okay." She looked at Chika again, who was clearly beyond help. "Let's ... keep moving."

* * *

><p>"Run, run, run, run run!" Ritsu screamed. She turned back, discharging her revolver at the oncoming horde. It had no discernable effect, but at least she felt like she was doing <em>something.<em>

_BOOM!_

That was Mugi's shotgun. Two zombies pitched forward, tripping several others.

_BOOM! BOOM!_

"Watch my back, please!" Sumire gasped, fumbling for shotgun shells.

"R ... R ... Ritsu! Look out!" Mio yelled.

Ritsu stopped, spinning around. A zombie in a hoodie landed just ahead of her, rolling in a perfectly executed tumble. He came up, snarling at her.

_Pop! Pop! Pop! Bam! Bam!_

The zombie went down in a hail of bullets.

"Ritsu! Get down!" Mugi shouted. Ritsu looked in her direction.

Ritsu looked toward Mugi, only to find herself staring down the barrel of her shotgun.

"Aww ... damnit!" She cried, throwing herself down.

_BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!_

"Ritsu-san! Are you okay," Sumire gasped, kneeling at Ritsu's side. Ritsu rolled onto her back, her palms feeling like they were scraped raw.

"I-I could be worse. Did we get 'em?"

Sumire looked up, and then back at Ritsu.

"I think we're okay for the moment. H-here, let me help you up."

As Sumire helped Ritsu to her feet, Ritsu cast a glance back at Mio. She was pale and shaking, but at least she had her gun in her hand.

"Thanks for the save, Mio," she said.

"D ... d ... don't mention it," Mio replied, staring past Ritsu, at the eight, or so, dead zombies scattered behind them. That was one house, Ritsu thought, which would've been best left unchecked.

"Hey guys, we're almost at the school," Mugi said.

It was a short, disappointing, jog. Ritsu stared out at the destruction before her, and felt her heart start to sink.

"Oh come on!" Ritsu screamed. "Is there anyone here! Alive! At all!"

"Ricchan," Mugi said behind her.

"Bodies everywhere!" Ritsu said. "It's a goddamn massacre!"

"This is not happening, this is not happening, this is not happening," Mio said.

"I'd like to catch a break!" Ritsu shouted, kicking the tire of one of the wrecked military trucks.

"Aiyeeee!"

"Ritsu!" Sumire and Mugi shouted, as one. Ritsu hopped on one foot several times and then dropped to the ground, grabbing her other foot.

"Stupidstupidstupid! Owww!"

"We have caught a break," Mugi said, firmly. "Some of these bodies are _freshly_ shot. And ... and we might find something in these trucks, or in the school."

Ritsu groaned as the adrenaline started to wear off.

"I'm sorry, Mugi," she said, taking several deep breaths. "Oww, that hurts. Sumire, go help Mio, please?"

"Y-yes, Ritsu-san," Sumire replied, leaving Mugi and Ritsu alone.

"Are you okay, Ricchan?"

"I'll ... I'll be fine," Ritsu replied. "Don't know what came over me there. I just ... ugh, I wish I knew what to do now."

Mugi stared into Ritsu's eyes.

"Tainaka-san, listen to me. We'll be fine," she said. "Repeat after me: We will be fine."

"I ... "

"Ritsu."

"We will be fine," Ritsu said, exhaling sharply. Tsumugi ojou-sama blinked several times and became Mugi-chan once more.

"Good," Mugi replied. "We should have a look around."

"Yeah ... right," Ritsu said. "Let's go have a look around." She carefully clambered to her feet. Her toe still hurt something fierce, but it didn't feel broken. "Starting with those trucks."

Sumire returned with Mio clutching her arm.

"Hey Mio, how are you feeling?"

"Terrible, Ritsu," Mio replied.

"Heh," Ritsu said. "Same here. Follow me guys," she said, forcing herself upright and marching over to one of the wrecked military trucks. When she looked inside, her expression lit up.

"Hey Mio! Big gun here!"

Mio scowled at Ritsu, but looked inside anyway.

"Th ... th ... that's a big gun all right," she said.

"And there used to be more," Mugi said, looking over Mio's shoulder. "But someone took them all."

"But, at least, they left us with these," Ritsu said, reaching inside for one of the mini Uzis that were in the truck. "Mio, I … think you should get the bigger gun."

"I don't ... I don't know," Mio replied.

"Just pretend it's a shiny new left-handed bass ... ow! Oh come on!"

"Hmph," Mio said, rubbing her fist. She reached into the truck and gingerly lifted out the black rifle. "I-I don't know how to work this."

"I can help you, Mio!" Mugi said, a bit of a flush coming to her cheeks.

Ritsu frowned. "Not while we're outside! Let's ... um ... let's go inside the school. The nurse's office should have something for us, at least.

"And I can see your clubroom, Onee-chan," Sumire added.

"The clubroom," Mio said, looking down.

"First thing's first, guys," Ritsu said, forcefully. "Let's check out the nurse's office! Look for supplies! Maybe a clue where the military might be now."

"The clubroom might be nice," Mugi said. "I think we should go there, first."

Ritsu frowned. "Why?" She looked up. Many of the windows were broken. The clubroom looked just as bad as the rest of the school. "I mean," she took a deep breath. "What are we likely to find up there?" She took another deep breath, and then another, swallowing hard. Her mind was filling in the sorts of things they'd find up there.

"Ricchan," Mugi said, putting her hand on Ritsu's shoulder. "The view will be better, higher up."

"We can even go to the roof and get a good look around. Safe from the z ... z ... zombies," Mio spoke up. Ritsu pressed her lips tighter together, and then exhaled sharply once more.

"Well, heh, all right ... let's go."

* * *

><p>"How did <em>anyone<em> survive this?" Ritsu said, leaning against the wall at the bottom of the staircase up to the clubroom. She looked at Mio, who was staring at the ground directly in front of her. She glanced at Sumire, who caught her eye and tried to look brave. Even Mugi seemed shaken by what they'd seen in the school. From the pile of five bodies just inside the barricaded doors, to the splatters of blood and gore that decorated the interior of the school like some macabre mockery of the school festival that would've taken place without the Flu.

"Let's get upstairs," Ritsu said, trying to breathe as little as possible. "Now, nobody slip in the blood."

Mio looked up at Ritsu, but was too much in shock to even try to hit her. Sumire nodded mutely, and Mugi nodded sharply, picking her way ahead of Ritsu, clutching her shotgun.

Ritsu followed behind, she saw the tortoise and hare statuettes, and though they were painted in blood, they brought an absurd sense of normalcy to the scene. Even as a light breeze tousled her hair through the shattered windows. She saw Mugi reach the landing, and immediately disappear into the clubroom. She hopped up to the landing, looking into the ruined doors of the music room.

"Ritsu!" Mugi yelled. "Sumire! Mio! Come here!"

Ritsu's heart leapt into her throat, and she dashed into the music room, running as fast as she could, jumping over the corpses that littered the room. She threw open the door to the clubroom, revolver at the ready.

There was no zombie horde descending on Mugi. Ritsu gulped the foul air as she saw Sumire and Mio at the doorway. It was then that she noticed that Mio was staring at Mugi.

No ... not at Mugi. _Past_ Mugi ... to the whiteboard.

"Holy crap," Ritsu managed. "They ... they made it."

"They did, they so did," Mugi replied, standing off to one side, her hands clasped together.

"Ritsu!" Mio said. "Am I really seeing what I think I'm seeing?"

Ritsu gaped at the whiteboard. There was a message telling any survivors to go to University Hospital; but it was signed by Ui, Yui, Azusa, and Nodoka.

"Y-yes ... yes you are," she replied.

"Th-that means they're alive ... right?"

"I ... think so," Ritsu replied, staring hard at the whiteboard.

"It does!" Mugi said. "And it means they've gotten a head start on us!"

Ritsu glanced out the windows, at the freshly dead zombies on the school grounds. She had the brief mental visual of Yui trying to gun down zombies.

"Wh-what's so funny," Mio said, frowning.

Ritsu looked out the window again. "Nothing, really. I was just thinking that it's not a _big_ head start, and that we can still catch 'em ... "

"Oh," Mio replied.

"Aiyeee, Ritsu!" Mio screamed as Ritsu dashed across the room, throwing her arm around Mio's shoulder, yanking her toward Mugi. She threw her other arm around Mugi, suddenly grinning.

"Guys, we can catch 'em!" Ritsu said, squeezing her best friends tightly. She felt ridiculously light on her feet. "We can get out of this mess with them, _together!_ You too, Sumire!" Her grin was maniacal, and she breathed in deeply, not caring about the smell.

"That would be so good," Mio said, her voice distant, as though she didn't dare hope.

"We'll get to see Azusa-chan, and Yui-chan, and the others again," Mugi said.

"And I will get to meet your friends," Sumire added, a small, hopeful smile taking root on her face.

"Yes!" Ritsu replied. The letters on the whiteboard burned into her brain. For the moment, all the darkness and doubt were burned away.

"Ritsu ... how will we get to the hospital?" Mio said.

Ritsu's heart skipped a beat.

Mugi squeezed Ritsu. "I pass it on the train to school every day. We just need to follow the rail line."

_Thanks, Mugi,_ Ritsu thought. "That's settled, then," she said. "We're going to the hospital!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>  
>- To those of you who have reviewed the story so far: Thank you!<br>- Nodoka may have caused troubles later down the line nailing that Jockey so quickly.  
>- Azusa's less-than-polite speech is intentional, and given the circumstances, understandable.<br>- The astute reader will recall that Mifuyu Matsumoto was one of the first ones out with the Green Flu.  
>- To fans of Nao Okuda, from the high school restart chapters; you have my apologies ... but hey, she died well, right?<br>- This chapter has been revised since its original posting. I've mostly been doing this to clean up things that I missed the first time through. I've also added small things here and there to bring some consistency to the story. I've also corrected a continuity gaffe between the restart manga and the story.  
>- The next chapter is a finale. Not <strong>the<strong> finale of the story, but the chapter following it will start a new arc. What this means for the girls ... well, you'll just have to draw your own conclusions. Tum-te-tum-te-tum ...


	8. Chapter 7

**Dead Man Walking:  
><strong>_It's your funeral._

"Did you see that?" Yui said, pointing to the olive-drab truck racing down the street.

"I think we all saw it, Yui-senpai," Azusa replied.

"It's going the wrong way, Azusa," Ui said with a frown. "The hospital is the _other_ way."

Nodoka watched the truck leaning heavily as it tore around a corner.

"It's also fully loaded," she pronounced. "That's not a ... bad sign. If they're loading trucks, then that means that the evacuation center has to be up and running."

"Oooh! Or maybe they're tearing it down and going somewhere else," Yui said.

"D ... d ... don't say things like that, Yui-senpai!"

"Aww, I was just kidding."

"Not funny," Azusa said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Seriously. Not. Funny."

"Okay guys, we made it all the way down the rail line," Nodoka interrupted. She waved her rifle in the direction of the station. "The hospital's not much further from here. We can talk all we want _after_ we get there."

"Mhm," Yui said with an abrupt nod, dashing ahead.

"Onee-chan! Wait up!"

"Yui-senpai! Be careful," Azusa said, her eyes darting to the platform. The memory of the two seniors from Sakuragaoka was still very fresh in her mind. Luckily, everyone at the train platform was already dead.

"Guys, stop!" Nodoka shouted, but Yui had already stopped short of the stairs up to the platform.

"Nodoka-chan!" Yui said. "Something _bad_ happened here!"

Nodoka was about to say something, but then she saw what Yui was pointing at. Scattered around the train platform were the dead. Blood was splashed and sprayed on the concrete floors and the walls. Entrails hung from the rails. The dead were cast haphazardly around the area, with faces and chests caved in. With necks snapped, and limbs broken and canted at all angles.

"Not all these people look infected," Ui said, leaning forward, looking pale.

"You ... you're right," Nodoka said, clutching her rifle. Behind her, she heard Azusa running up to them.

"What ... what could've possibly caused this?"

Nodoka looked around. Further down the tracks, railing from the station lay, twisted and shredded. Massive holes had been knocked into the walls with no rhyme, nor reason.

"I ... uh ... I don't know," Nodoka slowly replied, cautiously making her way up the stairs, onto the platform itself. "Let's ... uh ... let's just hope that this didn't happen _too_ recently."

"Y-yeah," Azusa said, quietly, looking up. There was a gore-rimmed, body-shaped hole in the ceiling. She didn't want to think about how it might've gotten there.

* * *

><p>"I've always dreamed of walking the railroad tracks," Mugi said, balancing on a long line of gleaming steel. "I wonder what it's like to sneak onto train cars and just ride that way, across the country; encountering the sorts of people one so rarely meets." She sighed softly, gazing up into the smoky sky, her eyes glittering.<p>

Ritsu looked up, her mouth opening.

"This isn't America, Onee-chan," Sumire replied, pulling herself up straight. "You can't do that here!"

Ritsu's comeback faded into an easy grin. _The young one's got some fire to her ... I like that._ She glanced ahead to Mio, who clutched her rifle like a talisman; her moves erratic and jerky. _Now if we could only get someone else to get back a little of _her _fire._

"Hey Mioooo," Ritsu said, draping her arm around Mio's shoulders. "Why so scared? We're nowhere near a rocky beach filled with ... _barnacles._ "

"Ritsu!" Mio shrieked, throwing Ritsu's arm off, and bringing her knuckles back down on the top of Ritsu's skull with a fluid motion borne of years of practice. "Wh ...wh ... why even say something like th-that!"

"I'm just keeping you on your toes," Ritsu said, rubbing the top of her head.

"The only way I could get more 'on my toes' is to float off the ground!" Mio said, shaking her fist at Ritsu.

"I'm ... I'm sorry!" Ritsu said. "Calm down, Mio. I'm just ... I'm just worried about you, that's all. You've been awful quiet lately."

"L ... l ... look at me, Ritsu," Mio snapped. "I-I'm carrying a _gun_! A real one! That I'm going to **kill** people with, because if I don't they'll ... eat my b ... b ... brains! I could be screaming and crying and screaming, b-but I'm not," she gasped. "I'm fine. I'm okay. I'm good." Deep breath. "I'm ... good ... "

_You're totally losing it,_ Ritsu thought. She caught the corners of her lips tugging upward. _No! Have you already forgotten? Be good, Ritsu! Be good!_

"Watch out!" Sumire screamed, slamming into Ritsu from behind. Both girls tumbled forward, and it was all Ritsu could do to avoid slipping and falling face-first into the gravel.

_BOOM!_

There was a scream.

_BOOM! BOOM!_

Ritsu spun around, her heart racing.

"Mio!" She yelled, starting toward Mio, when Sumire grabbed her arm.

"Don't move, Ritsu-san! Look there!"

Ritsu's eyes followed Sumire's finger to the railroad tracks. Where she and Mio were just standing, wisps of smoke rose from the steel rails, which hissed and spat where they were covered with a gooey, greenish, substance. The puddle lay between Ritsu and Mio, who stared down at the puddle of goo in pale-faced horror.

"M ... M ... Mugi ... " Mio said.

"I got her," Mugi replied, already reloading her shotgun. She was staring at the ground, a pained look in her eyes.

"Mugi?" Ritsu said, looking to the blonde. Her eyes followed the muzzle of Mugi's shotgun to a zombie that'd been hidden atop a nearby rail platform. The zombie's head and neck where grossly stretched, and the flesh of its guts sizzled and smoked where the noxious acids that had been contained within were blasted out by Mugi's shotgun.

_No, __**her **__guts,_ the thought came. The zombie was female, with dirty blonde hair, and leggings around her ankles.

"I, uh, don't think we should mention this to Yui ... y'know ... when we see her," Ritsu said.

"Right," Mugi agreed, biting her lip. "Let's keep moving, okay?"

Ritsu nodded, turning to Mio.

"Miooooo ... "

"Hmph," Mio turned away. "I am going to hang out with Mugi."

"I'm ... okay ... okay," Ritsu took a deep breath. "I'll ... I'll keep an eye on things with Sumire."

She watched Mio push ahead, catching up with Mugi. Sighing softly, Ritsu turned to Sumire.

"Hey, thanks for the save back there."

"It ... it ... it was nothing, Ritsu-san," Sumire replied, after several moments.

Ritsu smiled. "You should just call me 'Ritsu.' I mean we're all in this together, right?"

"Right, R ... Ri ... Ritsu."

"That's the spirit, Su-miii-re!"

"Wh ... wh ... what?"

Ritsu chuckled. "Oh, nothing. That just, uh, it felt right to call you that."

Sumire nodded, and both girls slipped into silence. Sirens wailed in the distance, and the still of the midday air was occasionally punctuated by gunfire.

"Ritsu," Sumire said. "May I be forward?"

Ritsu frowned. "Go ... right ahead?"

"Has ... anyone ever told you how much like sisters you and Mio-san are?"

"S-sisters!?"

Sumire nodded, her cheeks reddening.

"Yeah," she said. "I mean, I've only known the two of you for a day, and I can see it. Again, I'm sorry for being forward," she looked up, toward Mio and Mugi. "Mio-san reminds me of me ... she's your exact opposite. And yet, you have this relationship that looks like it goes beyond even the one I have with Onee-chan."

"Y-you're embarrassing me Su-miii-re," Ritsu replied, feeling her cheeks warm. "And Mio reminds you of you? I'm sorry to say it, but nobody does Mio quite like Mio. And besides, look at her," she said, draping an arm around Sumire's shoulder. "She's scared stiff," she said, her expression dropping. "I'm surprised she's ... she's coping so well."

Sumire exhaled. "Ritsu ... I'm terrified. I've been sick to my stomach ever since this all started."

"But you sling that shotgun almost as good as Mugi ... "

"No!" Sumire hurled Ritsu's arm off and wheeled back on her. "Don't you see, Ritsu? I ... I ...I'm doing it for Onee-chan! N-no matter how scared I get for me, I'm scared of losing Onee-chan _even more,_ an ... an ... an ... and I'm sure that's what's keeping Mio-san going!" The words spilled out of her in an uncontrolled torrent.

_Bam!_

Ritsu gaped at Sumire.

"I'm ... I'm sorry I've been so forward!" Sumire said, suddenly flush. She took several deep breaths. "I just ... I just felt like I had to say that. I'm sorry."

_I see,_ was all Ritsu could think. She looked past Sumire, to Mio and Mugi. _No, I really do see. Oh Mio ... I've done it again, haven't I?_

Ritsu took a deep breath of her own, putting a hand on Sumire's shoulder.

"Nah, I'm the one who should be sorry," she said. "You _are_ a lot like Mio. You've got fire where it counts. Speaking of which ... I think I owe someone another apology."

* * *

><p>"Yui-senpai! You've cursed us all!" Azusa shouted, staring across the street at the hospital.<p>

"Whaaaa?"

"Don't give me that! I remember your 'joke' from before!"

"Okay guys, calm down," Nodoka interrupted. "It only _looks_ like the hospital is deserted ... but that might not really be the case."

"Then wh ... wh ... why is there that big hole in the wall!"

"Azu-nyaaaan," Yui said, wrapping herself tightly around Azusa. "You're going to attract attention, y'know?"

"I ... "

"Shhh," Ui said, crouching down behind a dumpster. The girls were in a dark alleyway between two blocks of apartments. The late afternoon light bathed the tangle of smashed and stalled cars pushed off to the nearest side of the street, the dead bodies sprawled across the pavement of the street itself, and the hospital on the other side, in shades of crimson.

"Nodoka's right. They've got a searchlight set up, just past that gas truck."

"It's not on," Azusa managed.

"Well, Azu-nyan, the sun hasn't set yet," Yui replied.

"It will soon, Yui-senpai!"

"Here's another thing, the marker lights on that truck look like they're on," Nodoka said, shading her eyes with her hand. "They may just be holed up in the hospital until nightfall."

"Holed up? But wouldn't that mean that ... "

"Not necessarily. Looks like there was a big firefight here, earlier," Nodoka replied with a shake of her head, and a waving gesture toward the bloodied dead in the street. "They may be staying out of sight ... to conserve ammo. We should probably approach cautiously, otherwise they might think we're one of the infected."

"But we're not infected, Nodoka-chan."

"I know that, you know that, and we all know that Yui," Nodoka said. "They _don't!_ Remember what almost happened to us yesterday? I don't want to take the chance."

"Well, what do we do?" Ui asked.

"We sling our guns and cross the street with our hands up," Nodoka replied. "Carefully."

"If the authorities are waiting on the other side, shouldn't we leave the guns here?" Azusa asked, trying to disentangle herself from Yui.

Nodoka looked forlornly across the street, and then into Azusa's eyes.

"The guns are for if I'm wrong about this," she replied. "That's also a chance I'm not willing to take." She let her rifle drop to her side and she raised her hands. "Okay, everybody, let's get across."

Ui rose to her feet. "I'll go keep an eye out behind you guys and come out last," she said.

"Oooh, I wanna hang back with Ui," Yui said, even as Azusa firmly grabbed the sides of her arms.

"No, Yui-senpai, you go after Nodoka-senpai, and then I'll follow you ... I want you where I can see you!"

"Aww ... "

"Take my hand, Yui, we'll cross together," Nodoka said, lowering one of her hands.

"All right!" Yui replied, firmly grasping Nodoka's hand in her own. "Let's go!"

Both girls slipped through a gap in the parked cars, and darted out into the street.

"Should we go?" Ui said to Azusa, extending her hand.

"B ... b ... but I thought you were going to look out behind us!"

"I just want to make sure Onee-chan is safe," Ui replied. "If anyone was coming, they'd have already followed the sound of our voices."

"Oh ... okay," Azusa said, tentatively taking Ui's hand in hers. Together, they followed the older girls into the street. Carefully, they picked their way between dead bodies. Between coagulating pools and sticky smears of blood and ichor.

"Can anyone hear us!" Nodoka called out. "We are _not_ infected!"

"Yeah! No zombies here!" Yui added.

"At least, none that are alive," Ui said softly. "Don't let go, Azusa."

"R-right."

There were, perhaps, four lanes between the apartments and the hospital. Even so, Azusa swore she could see the late afternoon sun perceptibly descending in the hazy western sky. Considerable relief greeted her when they clambered over blood-soaked sandbags, onto the grounds of the hospital.

"Is anyone here?" Nodoka shouted, looking around.

"Hellooooo!"

"Not so loud, Yui," Nodoka said. "Stay behind me. Ui," she said, looking up toward the younger sister, "come with me."

"Right," Ui replied, crossing over to Nodoka's side in several big steps. Both girls walked toward the hospital lobby. Nodoka noted that there was a generator next to the searchlight as she stepped over a long, thick, red-purple _thing _lying on the ground, snaking toward the forbiddingly dark lobby. An ambulance was next to the door, riddled with bullet-holes.

"This isn't looking good."

"Let's make that call when we have a look inside," Nodoka replied, picking her way through the shattered glass.

The doors weren't open, so much as torn from their hinges. Chairs and tables were overturned and scattered, and dead zombies lay between them. Several dead JSDF soldiers were sprawled behind the front desk, their throats torn open. One had his head caved in.

_"Crackle ... pshhht"_

"Do you hear that?"

Nodoka cupped her hand to her ear, straining to hear what Ui was listening to.

_"Pop ... fzzzzt ... crack"_

"It sounds like a radio, Nodoka-chan."

Nodoka nodded quietly.

_"Fzshhhhhh ... nyone listening to this ... crackle ... ency ... pshht ... up!"_

"That's definitely a radio," Nodoka said, her head turning toward a set of double-doors barricaded by a waist-high pile of sandbags. "A live one! Maybe someone is listening ... Ui, watch my back."

"Mhm," Ui said, nodding.

"Hello!" Nodoka shouted toward the doorway. "Is there anyone here? We were told to evacuate here!"

The radio crackled, but the hospital was shrouded in a creepy, almost breathy, silence.

"We are not infected! There are four of us ... two are outside. Please ... if you're in some sort of saferoom, we don't want to be out in the open after sunset."

Nodoka began to creep toward the doorway. The glass in the doors was completely shattered, and the shards of glass on the floor gleamed the dim crimson of the reflected afternoon sun. It was then that she could hear a faint rustling through the shattered windows.

_"Anyone ... kshhhhhhzt ... ning to ... crackle ... frequen ... pop ... se pick up!"_

"Nobody is answering the radio," Ui called out behind her.

Nodoka nodded, voicelessly, her throat tightening. Were they too late? What would they do now? How was she going to protect her three friends ...

"Nooooo!"

That scream was Nodoka's. Rough hands groped at her, clawed at her, and hauled her back. Her feet slipped out from under her, and she slammed up against the sandbags. Hands pulled at her arms and her hair. They tugged at her backpack, and yanked on her collar. Her next scream was cut into a gurgling squeak. Arms circled her chest, rough hands groped and squeezed her, heaving back.

"Nodoka!" Ui screamed, instantly at her side, desperately pulling at the hands that held Nodoka fast. Behind her, she heard the grunting of at least two men behind her, and she felt their foul breath on her skin. Her vision began to swim as bony fingers wrapped around her throat. Desperately, she clawed at those hands, even as the world pulled away from her.

The world snapped back into focus and she desperately gulped air as Ui yanked the hands free.

"Shoot ... shoot!" Nodoka cried, just as an arm wrapped around her neck. She felt herself starting to be pulled up the sandbags.

_Shoot them, Ui! Shoot them!_

She saw Ui letting go, her hands moving away; but she couldn't see where they were going. Not with the darkness swallowing her up.

* * *

><p>"Nodoka-chan!" Ui said, her face swimming into Nodoka's field of view. "Welcome back," she said, visibly sighing with relief. Yui and Azusa appeared next, their expressions mirror images of concern.<p>

Nodoka tried to speak, but she could only produce a hoarse, strangled, squeak.

_What happened?_ Her lips worked, but her voice refused to cooperate. _Why are they here?_

"I'm sorry, Nodoka-chan," Ui said. "I ... didn't think of shooting first."

_Shooting?_ Nodoka tried to cudgel some useful insight from her brain.

"Y-you went totally limp ... " Ui took several deep breaths. "I got one before he could pull you over." She leaned over, her face very close. A tiny part of Nodoka's brain marveled at how Ui had managed to block out Yui and Azusa. "The other one tried to ... shoot me, but," Ui bit her lip and wiped her eyes. "I-I guess he was far enough gone that it ... didn't work for him."

"Shoot?" Nodoka whispered.

"Uh huh," Ui replied. "They ... were infected, but ... not totally," she added, rocking back on her heels.

Nodoka stared up at the ceiling. Pieces were falling into place. She remembered being grabbed, but that was all that would come to her. She forced herself up, as there were more pressing matters at hand.

"Yui ... Azusa? Why are you here?"

"W-we came running when we heard gunfire," Azusa replied.

"You were on the ground, Nodoka-chan," Yui said. "What happened to you?"

"I ... just got grabbed by some ... zombies ... that's all," Nodoka replied. _They were infected, but ... not totally._ Ui's voice echoed in her mind, and Nodoka felt very, _very_, dirty.

"Ui," she croaked. "Are there any others?"

Ui vigorously shook her head. "Not anymore," she replied.

"Okay," Nodoka said, swallowing. She cleared her throat. "Everybody gather round. I need you all to promise me something," her eyes found Yui's. "You, especially, Yui."

"Nodoka-senpai?"

"Nodoka ... chan?"

Nodoka adjusted her glasses. "No more half-measures, guys. I want you to promise me that, no matter what happens, you're going to get to Tokyo. And ... that you're not going to settle for anywhere in-between."

"Nodoka?"

"Remember that map, Yui?" Nodoka stared into Yui's eyes. "Remember what I said? It's going to be all about Tokyo in the end. That's going to be the only place in Japan that's going to be _really_ safe."

"Senpai?"

"Just ... just promise me, guys, okay?" Nodoka stared at each of the girls, in turn. "Please?"

Ui nodded. A moment later, so did Azusa.

"Yui? You, especially, have to promise me."

Yui adjusted her guitar bag and returned Nodoka's gaze.

"I don't really understand, Nodoka-chan ... but ... okay. I promise to get everyone to Tokyo! No matter what!"

Nodoka exhaled deeply. Somehow, she felt as though a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She pushed herself to her feet, reaching for her rifle.

"Okay ... okay ... now let's all go see what's on the radio."

* * *

><p>"Anyone who is listening to this frequency, please pick up. This is an official Self-Defense Forces emergency channel."<p>

The man holding the radio was very, _very_, dead; his military fatigues soaked with blood and cut ragged.

"Those don't _look_ like bite marks," Yui said, leaning close to inspect the man.

"That's not the point, Yui-senpai!" Azusa snapped, looking ashen in the harsh light of the fluorescent lantern by the man's side.

Ui and Nodoka exchanged a look, and Nodoka gingerly knelt by the man's side, picking the radio from his hand.

"Uh, hello?"

"Anyone who is listening to this frequency, please ... say again, over?"

"Oooh, he heard you!" Yui said, crossing over to Nodoka's side and leaning over her.

"Yui, be quiet for a minute, please?"

"Aww, Nodoka-chan ... "

"Yui-senpai!"

Nodoka scowled. "All of you be quiet!"

The other girls dropped into stunned silence.

"This is Evac Juliet-Foxtrot One-niner. Unidentified caller, please repeat your transmission, over."

Nodoka cleared her throat and pressed the "Transmit" button once more.

"Uh, hello ... I'm Nodoka Manabe-san. I'm at, ah, University Hospital. There are four of us here."

Silence.

"Uh, over?"

The radio crackled, and the girls nearly jumped.

"This is Evac Juliet-Foxtrot One-Niner, I copy, University Hospital. Are you alone? Over?"

Nodoka frowned. "No, there are four of us here. We've come from Sakuragaoka High. Where are you? Over?"

"Evac Juliet-Foxtrot One-Niner copies. Please confirm, University Hospital Evac Center is unmanned? Over?"

Nodoka closed her eyes, rubbing her temple with her free hand. "Yes. We found military here, but they were ... all dead when we got here. Over."

"Evac Juliet-Foxtrot One-Niner copies. Listen, can you get into a secure position? Over."

Nodoka looked around. The corner of the hospital where the former soldiers had holed up was well barricaded.

"Uh, I think so, yes. Over," she replied.

"I copy. There should be a searchlight outside in the parking lot. Is it on? Over."

"No," Nodoka replied firmly. "We got here before sunset. Over."

"Copy that." There was a static-laden pause. "There is a relief convoy being prepped right now ... but you will have to turn on the searchlight. The drivers are new, and unfamiliar with your area, and other survivors may be trying to locate the Echo-Zulu. Do you copy? Over."

"Did he just say what I think he said," Azusa said. Nodoka replied with a chopping motion with her hand.

"I ... uh, did you say to start up the searchlight? Over?"

"Affirmative. All you need to do is start the generator and that will turn the searchlight on. It will draw attention to you, so you will have to barricade yourselves and wait for our arrival. Do you copy? Over."

There was a collective intake of breath, as the girls looked at each other.

"Yeah, I, uh, copy. Over," Nodoka replied.

"Remember, the searchlight will draw attention. Prepare yourselves, and then call back on this channel when you are ready. Over and out."

Azusa was the first to break the silence.

"We're almost out of here! We just have to turn that generator on, and then sit tight until the military gets us, and ... "

"No," Nodoka said, unfolding herself.

"What do you mean 'no,' Nodoka-senpai?" Azusa frowned, staring into Nodoka's eyes.

"I mean ... no, we don't just sit tight. We get ready for a fight, and _then_ start up that generator."

Azusa was suddenly in Nodoka's face, glaring up at her.

"A f-fight? Didn't you hear the instructions? They told us to sit here and wait for their arrival! They said nothing about fighting! Th ... th ... that's what they're for, Nodoka-senpai! The military!"

"Azusa ... "

"Why can't we just let the military do their job, Nodoka-senpai!" Azusa shouted, balling her fists at her sides. "Why do you want us to fight?"

"Azusa-chan," Ui said, putting her hands on Azusa's shoulders and squeezing firmly. "Where are they now?"

"I ... Ui ... wha ... what are you talking about?"

"The military, Azusa-chan. Where is the military _right now?_"

"They ... they'll be on their way here!"

"Oh! I get it," Yui said, smacking her fist into her open palm. "They're not _here_ right _now_!"

"And what does that have to do with anything?"

"Azusa," Nodoka said placing her hands on Azusa's arms. "The town is full of the infected. What's going to happen when we start up that generator?"

"Zombies, Nodoka-chan, _zombies,_" Yui corrected.

"Ahem, yes ... zombies. The town is full of zombies," Nodoka said. "And, like you said this morning, they seem to be attracted to noise; and that generator will make much more noise than anything else we've done today."

"Th-then why start it at all! We could just hide out until the military gets here!"

"They said they had new drivers, and there might be others; just like us, trying to make it here to be evacuated ... maybe even the _others._"

"L ... l ... like Ricchan and Mio-chan and Mugi-chan!" Yui said, her expression brightening.

"Yes, our friends," Nodoka replied, still holding Azusa's eyes. "That's why we have to start that generator. When we do, the zombies are going to come, and I can't count on those barricades to hold ... not after the things we've seen today."

Azusa's eyes darted from one side to the other, and then down toward the dead man leaning against the wall.

"I ... " she said, squeezing her eyes shut. "I don't wanna do this anymore. I want this all to go away ... I want to wake up in my bed right now and have this all be a bad, _bad_ dream. I ... "

"Azusa," Nodoka said, gently shaking her. "You ... I'll tell you right now that I've been proud of you, Azusa."

Azusa's eyes snapped open and she looked up at Nodoka.

"You've handled this ... all of this ... better than anyone would have a right to expect," Nodoka's voice was soft, her pace deliberate. "I know it's a lot to ask, but you have to pull yourself together," she said, squeezing Azusa's arms again. "This fight isn't over yet ... but we do this one thing, and it'll be a _lot_ closer."

Nodoka released Azusa and exhaled slowly. Her heart ached.

"The rest of us will look for supplies. Stay here and take a few minutes to get ready, and then we'll _all_ go start that generator."

* * *

><p>Darkness was falling fast. The comforting glow of urban twilight was diminished in a way Nodoka had only seen with major earthquakes. Above them, a handful of stars were shining through the haze with cold indifference, and it was something that she didn't find at all comforting.<p>

"Nodoka! Flares!" Yui said, pointing to a box next to the searchlight. Nodoka hurried over to Yui, with Ui close behind. Azusa lagged well behind, not looking up.

"Huh," Nodoka said, bending down to pick up a road flare from the box. "I guess they were planning to lay these out after sunset." Absentmindedly, she tucked the flare away, next to her spare magazines. The dead soldiers had more than enough rifle ammo to go around and, she thought feeling the new holster on her hip, their 9mm pistols were a welcome upgrade from the police revolvers they'd carried from Sakuragaoka.

"Everyone, get close to me, and keep an eye out," she said, unclipping the radio from her belt. "I'm about to call in the military."

"Yes," Yui replied with a small fist-pump. Ui nodded sharply, clutching her rifle tighter. Only Azusa showed no visible reaction, but she came to stand next to Yui all the same. Nodoka frowned and pushed the "Transmit" button.

"Uh, hello? This is University Hospital again ... over?"

Static.

"This is Evac Juliet-Foxtrot One-Niner! I was beginning to think you'd been overrun by the Whiskey Delta! What's your status? Over."

"We ... it took longer to prepare than we thought. We're ready to fire up the generator now. Over."

"I copy, University Hospital. We ... we encountered some trouble with the Whiskey Delta, so our ETA will be fifteen minutes from your go-ahead. Are you ready? Over."

Nodoka looked around, at the others. Each girl nodded. Even Azusa. Nodoka herself nodded, and then pressed the "Transmit" button.

"We're ready here. I'm starting the generator now."

"Alright! We are headed for the Echo-Zulu ASAP. Remember, our ETA is fifteen minutes. Good luck! Over and out!"

Nodoka took one last look around, at the inky shadows that surrounded them.

"Let there be light," she said, reaching for the "Start" button.

_Whunk, whunk, whunk, whunk!_

Nodoka frowned and pressed the button again.

The generator's engine turned over again, sputtered, and then roared to life. Immediately, the world was lit in harsh blue-white light.

For a few moments, the only sound to be heard was the roar of the generator. And then the screaming started. Distant screams, from everywhere at once, surging together into a single wailing, buzzsaw _howl._

"Get ready ladies, here they come!"

* * *

><p>Flashlight beams bobbed and weaved in the encroaching darkness as Ritsu, Mugi, Mio, and Sumire half-jogged, half-staggered down the railroad tracks. The head start that Yui and company enjoyed had turned out to be <em>much<em> bigger than Ritsu anticipated. Especially with the need to periodically stop and shoot their way through the small, random, bands of zombies that felt the need to jump onto the railroad tracks and try to chase them down.

"W-whatever made me th-think any of th-this was a good idea!" Ritsu gasped. As she jogged, her submachine gun banged painfully into her thigh. She clutched her revolver in her hand. Her marksmanship was getting better; thanks to the constant 'practice' she had to endure.

"Raaaagh!"

Ritsu stumbled to a stop, bringing that revolver up. A gray-faced woman, whose eyes glowed bright yellow in their flashlights, was already running at Ritsu.

_Bam! Bam! Bam!_

Blooms of crimson erupted from the front of the woman's filth-encrusted blouse and she went down.

_BOOM!_

Another zombie tumbled backward, his face a pulpy ruin from a close-range shotgun blast.

"We ... we must be near another station," Sumire gasped, clutching her knees, gulping for air.

"Yeah I ... I can tell," Ritsu replied, working the ejector of her revolver with shaky hands. She dropped the two good rounds back into the cylinder, and then fumbled three new ones in. That was another lesson hard learned. Blood-soaked bandages were wrapped tightly around her left bicep, where a zombie had gotten a shot in when she'd shot through all five rounds in her gun.

"I see it, guys! Up ahead," Mugi shouted, waving her flashlight down the tracks. Around the corner, Ritsu could just make out the glow of the lights of the rail station.

"Is ... is this it?" Mio asked, clutching her rifle with a white-knuckled grip.

"I-I think so," Mugi nodded quickly.

"You _think _so?" Ritsu said, the adrenaline imparting a snap to her voice.

"Guys, look up!" Sumire interrupted, as Mugi was about to reply. "Over there!"

"I see it! That ... that looks like a spotlight," Mio said.

"This _is_ the right station, Ritsu," Mugi continued, not missing a beat. "Why I think that spotlight is coming from the hospital!"

Ritsu nodded sharply, waving her pistol like a cavalry captain waving his saber, as he was about to command a charge. "If the lights are on, then that means the someone must be home! C'mon guys, go, go, go!"

* * *

><p>"Waaaaagh!" The zombie flew in through the doors, into the hospital lobby. There was the meaty <em>thud<em> of colliding bodies, and Ui went down hard.

"Uiiii!" Yui screamed in surprise, turning to her downed sister. "A-Azu-nyan! Help me!"

"R-right," Azusa shouted, shaking her head. She clubbed the zombie straddled atop Ui with her rifle. Once, twice, and then three times. The third blow dislodged the man, who crouched, snarling at Azusa. She froze, looking into those hateful eyes.

_Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!_

The zombie pitched forward to the floor. Ui clutched her pistol tightly, turning her attention to Azusa.

"Thanks Azusa-chan," she said.

"Guys, I can't hold them all back myself!" Nodoka shouted; her face lit with the strobing of rifle fire as she gunned down the zombies who'd crawled in behind the leaper.

"Right!" Ui shouted, discharging her pistol at the oncoming horde with quick, deliberate, precision.

"Don't stay down there all night, Ui," Yui said, reaching for Ui's hand as the slide of her sister's pistol locked back.

"Azusa! To the left!"

Azusa's head snapped over to the left. Zombies were crawling over the sandbags, coming _from_ the area that the military had blocked off.

"Aaaaaah!" She screamed, squeezing the trigger of her rifle. It bucked against her, and somehow, enough shots connected that the zombies tumbled lifelessly to the ground.

"Watch my back!" Nodoka called out, dropping her empty magazine and reaching for another.

"Onee-chan! The door!"

"Sorry!" Yui replied. She fumbled at her side, and then her SMG erupted with thunder, as more zombies appeared at the main doorway, running at them.

The staccato bursts of SMG fire were drowned out as Nodoka opened fire once more.

"R ... r ... reloading!" Azusa cried, staring down at her empty rifle.

"I've got your back Azu-nyan!" Yui said, turning her attention away from the door.

"Just like I showed you, Azusa," Nodoka called out.

"Y ... y ... yes!" Azusa replied. More barely-human figures, backlit by the harsh blue of the spotlight, appeared in the doorway. Their eyes shone yellow in the faint light of the lantern the girls had salvaged earlier and in the flashlights attached to their rifles.

"There's so many of them ... Onee-chan, be careful!" Ui said, dropping to one knee, firing again and again.

Lights flashed everywhere. Bright flashbulb-like pulses of light exploding from the muzzles of guns. The brilliant white of flashlights shining from tactical rails. The dim eyeshine of the undead as they fixed hungry eyes on tender, living, flesh. The dance of shadows in harsh, blue-white, light, as the zombies surged for their would-be victims.

The hospital was alive with sound. The hollow _ping_ of empty brass bouncing off tile floors. The hollow _clatter_ of empty magazines. The half-panicked cries of the girls. All of it set to the staccato crackle of gunfire. The zombies surged forth, their footfalls innumerable, growling, groaning, crying, and screaming. Each breath they took coming out as moan or hiss. All of it set to the steady drone of the engine driving the generator.

_**Clank!**_

Zombies suddenly became illuminated, their ashen, bloodstained features standing out in stark relief against flashlights. Behind them, blackness, and the bobbing and weaving of glowing eyes. Many, many glowing eyes. The sounds of their movements backed, not by the drone of a generator, but of the animal scream of the horde.

"Nodoka! The generator's out!"

"N ... N ... Nodoka-chan! What do we do!"

"There's so ... so many of them ... so many of them ... "

_Crack! Crack-crack-crack-crack!_

"Onee-chan! Don't stop now!"

"Y ... y ... yes! Right!"

"Nodoka! What do we do! There's too many of them!"

"Onee-chan! Azusa! Watch me, I've got to reload!"

"Azu-nyan? What are you doing?"

"S ... s ... I'm sorry, Yui-senpai!"

A long burst of gunfire, followed by silence. Absolute silence. The girls exchanged looks. It wasn't going to last.

Nodoka Manabe stood up, whirling back on the others. Light glinted as she adjusted her glasses.

"Stay here! I've got this! Do _not_ follow me!"

"Nodoka-chan!"

"I mean it!" Nodoka snapped at Yui. "I-I'm going to restart the generator. Stay together, stay safe! And above all, get to Tokyo!"

* * *

><p><em>Bam! Bam! Bam!<em>

_BOOM!_

Zombies crumpled before Ritsu and Sumire as they emerged onto a road.

"Ritsuuuu! I don't see the spotlight anymore!" Mio screamed behind them.

"What do you mean ... awww damnit!"

"Maybe it's just a glitch, keep going guys!" Mugi called out.

"Y-yeah, right," Ritsu replied, starting out onto the roadway. Stepping out into a pool of light from one of the many streetlights, she spied a sign. Her eyes followed the sign off to the left.

"Damn it, the main road to the hospital looks like it's blocked off. Mugi? You think we can cut through those apartment blocks?"

"Absolutely," Mugi replied.

"All right! Lead on," Ritsu said. "We'll be right behind you ... Mio?"

"Did you feel that, Ritsu?"

"Feel what?"

"Feels like an earthquake!"

"You did _not_ just say that," Ritsu said with exasperation. "I don't feel anything at all ... "

"She's right," Sumire said, staring intently at the ground. "I feel something."

Ritsu wanted to snap, but she was feeling it too. An unnerving tremor beneath the soles of her shoes.

"Well doesn't this just beat all?"

Ritsu had time to say nothing else, for a great bellow filled the air.

_BOOM!_

Ritsu was in an instinctive crouch, upon hearing the sound of a metallic object being cast aside with great force.

_"Roaaaaaar!"_

There! Charging up the blockaded road! A huge beast of a zombie, whose upper body was all rippling muscle and grossly distorted traditional Japanese tattoos. Everything from the waist down looked normal, and ridiculously tiny, but the giant seemed to move just fine.

"That's ... that's not even _fair!_"

The road exploded in a blizzard of sparks as the monster batted aside a K-car abandoned in its path. Mio screamed, dropping to her knees.

_Oh God, not this ... not now, _Ritsu thought, dropping by her best friend's side.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, we don't have time for this! Get up! _Get up!_ "

_BOOM! BOOM-BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!_

That was Mugi and Sumire, gamely unloading their shotguns at the big monster zombie coming to kill them all. Out of the corner of her eye, Ritsu saw the monster rear up, pounding his chest with his fists. She shook Mio, squeezing her shoulders.

"C'mon, Mio, you made it this far!"

"B ... b ... b ... big ... "

_"Raaaaaaargh!"_

The monster was getting close to the barricades. Ritsu _knew_ they wouldn't hold ...

_Crack!_

Mio stared up at Ritsu, her grey eyes wide with shock.

"You get up this instant, Akiyama-san!" Ritsu screamed, raising her hand for another blow. "Goddamn it, I am _not_ going to lose you today!"

"Ri ... "

_**"Now!"**_

Before Mio could say anything, Mugi hauled her bodily to her feet.

"Run guys! Run!" Mugi urged. "Into the alley!"

_CRASH!_

Wood and grit flew past them, blasting at them. Mio shrieked, in pain this time, and the monster zombie was through the barricade. Ritsu scrambled to her feet, barely managing to snatch up her revolver.

_BOOM! BOOM!_

Sumire stood before the monster zombie, blasting away with her shotgun. In an instant, Ritsu turned away from Mio. She'd have to trust Mugi to get her moving.

"Su-miiii-reee! C'mon! Let's go!" Ritsu yelled, feeling her throat becoming raw. She aimed in the monster zombie's direction, squeezing the trigger five times in quick succession. She shoved her gun into the waistband of her pants, dashing _toward_ the monster charging at them. She reached Sumire, yanking on her sleeve. Sumire's head snapped toward Ritsu, and she shook her head violently, as if emerging from a spell.

Both girls screamed as the monster knocked a Jersey barrier toward them and they were peppered with concrete shrapnel. Ritsu yanked on Sumire's sleeve again, and they started the desperate run toward the alleyway.

* * *

><p>Nodoka ran out into the darkness. All around her were the shadowy figures of the undead.<p>

_BAM! BAM!_

A zombie spun and dropped, with new bullet-holes in its head. Two more turned away from the entrance to the hospital, screaming at Nodoka. She fired again, clutching her pistol tightly. She was saving her rifle for when she got the generator started.

She cried out, involuntarily, feeling claw-like hands at her back. She drove her elbow back, feeling the zombie's ribs crack. The zombie staggered back, and Nodoka wheeled around in an instant, the barrel of her pistol jammed into the zombie's temple.

_BAM!_

The zombie dropped and Nodoka turned again, and with an explosive movement, she sprinted for the generator. Zombies dropped off to her side, cut down by rifle fire. She prayed the others were listening to her, and that their fire was coming from the relative safety of the hospital.

Was that gas she smelled?

Nodoka pushed the thought off. Two zombies leaped from the top of the tanker truck, landing in front of her. She sidestepped one, pistol-whipping the other one across the face.

_BAM!_

A third zombie staggered back, away from the searchlight. It vomited blood and then screeched at Nodoka. She shot it twice more, spinning back on the first two. She pulled back, just in time to keep one from knocking her glasses off her face. The other swung wildly, knocking Nodoka's pistol from her hand. She kicked out, knocking one down, and shoved the second back. It was a mad scramble for her rifle as the zombie lunged at her again, trying to grab her in a gristly bear hug.

_Crack!_

The zombie sprawled to the pavement, blood pouring from its mouth. The other zombie gained its feet just in time for Nodoka to get the rifle into firing position.

_Crack-crack-crack!_

She turned to the generator when a glint of light caught her eye.

"Oh ... damn ... " Nodoka swore. Gasoline dribbled from the tanker truck, puddling on the ground around her. Bullet holes pockmarked the tanker. _Fresh_ bullet holes. Suddenly, the entrance to the hospital seemed like it was a thousand miles away.

* * *

><p>"Don't stop running!" Mugi cried out. Mio screamed, and both Ritsu and Sumire gasped breathlessly. Ritsu's ribs hurt, her lungs burned, and her legs were on fire.<p>

_"Hraaaaaargh!"_

Ritsu's stomach went into freefall and the pain briefly dropped into the background. She gulped another lungful of agony and forced herself onward. The monster was behind them. Always behind them, no matter how many twists and turns they took.

_The goddamn military had better be waiting for us, _Ritsu thought, as they turned a corner. Suddenly, light flooded into her world, driving ice picks into her brain.

"We're ... we're ... we're saved! Light's on ... on again!" Mio gasped.

"Don't stop now," Ritsu yelled, her voice hoarse. "Ruuuun!" Behind her there was a meaty thud.

"Ritsu!" Sumire gasped. Ritsu wheeled back and her legs nearly buckled as fresh agony radiated from her ribs. Sumire leaned up against a dumpster, gasping desperately for air. "It ... h ... hurts ... "

"C-c'mon ... let's g ... g ... go," Ritsu said, her lungs burning with each breath she took. "Al ... almost there!" She took Sumire's hand, trying to pull her away from the dumpster. Trying to catch her breath. Trying to find those last little reserves of strength for one more sprint.

"T ... t ... trying," Sumire managed, pushing off the dumpster. She leaned heavily on Ritsu, and the two started to stumble down the alley.

_"Roooooaarrrrgh!"_

Heavy footfalls were behind them. The monster was in the alley with them.

"Go! Go! Go!" Ritsu shrieked, trying to haul Sumire forward with her. Both girls ran a few, staggering, clumsy steps; and then, suddenly, Ritsu felt herself stumbling forward, nearly tripping as Sumire shoved her free.

She had just an instant to look back. The monster was upon them, sweat gleaming on pink-gray skin. He reared up; hauling one of those impossibly immense arms back ...

_WHAM!_

The dumpster was briefly airborne.

_CRASH!_

The edge caught, the dumpster somersaulted forward, and half a meter made all the difference in the world.

A concussive blast of air and a fist of metal shoved at Ritsu and she tumbled down the alley. Miraculously, she rolled to her feet, just in time for her momentum to be violently checked by one of the parked cars partially blocking the alley. Her ribs screamed fiery agony as she pushed herself off the car, stumbling across the road trying desperately to catch up with Mugi and Mio. Her eyes burned, and her vision blurred, but the image that would haunt her was seared into her mind with crystalline clarity.

* * *

><p><em>"Roooooaarrrrgh!"<em>

The sound cut through the grunts and screams of the zombies dying all around Nodoka. The sound cut to the very core of her being.

_Crack! Crack!_

A zombie sprawled at Nodoka's feet. She leaned heavily against the generator, behind a macabre fortress of piled corpses.

"Eeeeee!" A zombie screeched, crawling over its dead brethren, dragging its useless, bullet-riddled, legs behind it.

_Crack!_

The zombie stopped moving. In the back of her mind, Nodoka wondered what could've made that roar. The stink of gas fumes was starting to make her dizzy. Almost as dizzy as the blood loss. The legs of her pants were torn open and soaked with blood. The back of her top was similarly ripped, and a great blurry line crossed half her vision where her glasses cracked when a zombie had smashed her face up against the unyielding metal side of the generator.

"The hospital ... we're here!" A voice screamed, somewhere beyond the tanker truck.

_Mio?_

There was an inarticulate cry.

"Keep running!"

_Mugi? __**Ritsu?**_

Nodoka turned, looking into the darkness. Lo and behold, she could see three shapes moving with the frantic desperation of the living.

"Akyiama-san! Kotobuki-san! Tainaka-san!" She screamed at the darkness.

"Nodoka!" Mio screamed back. "Ohmygod!" She started toward Nodoka.

_"Rrrraaaaarrww!"_

Behind them, across the road, an immense figure appeared at the head of an alley.

"No!" Nodoka yelled. "I'm protecting the generator! You three! Get to the hospital! Hurry!"

She watched Mio stumble past her, followed by Mugi, who was arm-in-arm with Ritsu; who looked up at Nodoka with wet eyes as she ran past, limping the whole way.

_Crack! Crack-crack!_

Nodoka turned away, dropping two zombies who'd noticed the three girls.

_Crack! Crack! Crack!_

She heard shrieks of surprise from the doorway to the hospital. She allowed herself the faintest of smiles ... now Mugi, Mio, and Ritsu, might make it to the hospital without getting shot by their friends.

_CRASH!_

Nodoka was on the ground, surrounded by shattered concrete. Stars glared down at her, and she flailed around for her rifle. Instead, her hand landed on something else that was long and hard. Her fingers wrapped around it, and she brought up the police flare that had been in her backpack.

"_Rooooooar!"_

Nodoka grabbed at the end of the flare, twisted, and pulled. She heard footfalls of zombies coming her way. In the distance, she heard the roar of diesel engines. She felt footfalls of the giant that had brought her down. Deftly, she brought the striker cap against the flare's igniter ...

Brilliant red light flooded Nodoka's vision, starkly illuminating the zombies coming at her. Her world exploded into jagged agony as zombies descended upon her, kicking and stomping at her. She flailed with the flare, the stench of scorched flesh bringing tears to her eyes.

_You got me, but you're not going to get __**them,**_ she thought. The giant appeared at edge of her vision, and there was just enough of a gap between the lesser zombies. With the last of her strength, she threw the flare toward the tanker ... toward the pools of gasoline collected below it.

_They're safe ... _

* * *

><p>There was a tremendous blast, and everything was illuminated in fiery shades of yellow and orange. A hand of burning air seized Ritsu, tore her from Mugi's grasp, and hurtled her into the hospital. She hit the ground, tumbling like a ragdoll. When she stopped, she was facing the distant ceiling, and there seemed to be two of everything.<p>

"Ricchan!" Two Yuis exclaimed, looming large in Ritsu's vision.

"R ... R ... Ritsu-senpai!" Two Azusas filled the rest.

"Urgh," Ritsu managed, struggling to sit up.

"Ricchan! Ricchan! That was an awesome entrance!" The Yuis said, shaking Ritsu.

"Yui-senpai!" The Azusas cried, their voices strained and thick. "That ... that ... that was 'cause of N ... No ... Nodoka ... "

"Onee-chan! Help Mugi-chan up! Hurry!" Ui called out somewhere behind Ritsu.

"R-right away Ui!" The Yuis sprung up, as one, darting off. Ritsu sighed sharply. One Yui was bad enough.

"Ritsu-senpai," the Azusas said, slowly merging into one. "H-hi," she said, her eyes wet with tears.

"H-hey, Azusa," Ritsu replied. "It's ... it's good to see you guys again."

"Yeah," Azusa said. "Can you ... can you get up?"

Ritsu looked around her, at the dead bodies and blood that almost carpeted the tile floor. Brass glittered among the dead, and she forced the physical pain and mental anguish to the background.

"I ... I ain't done yet," she replied, staggering to her feet.

_Crackle!_

"This is Evac Juliet-Foxtrot One-Niner! We've arrived at the Echo-Zulu, University Hospital!" A voice crackled from the radio Ui wore on her hip.

"The military!" Azusa gasped. Ritsu's head snapped toward the girl, and then back to Ui.

"We don't have a lot of time! Come out and get to the trucks!" The voice on the radio snapped.

"Survivors!" A voice called out over a loudspeaker. "This is the Self-Defense Forces! Get to the trucks!"

Ritsu threw her arm around Azusa's shoulder.

"Ritsu-senpai!"

"Help me out here," Ritsu replied. Azusa shrugged several times, trying to better take Ritsu's weight, and they both staggered toward the door ... toward the waiting military trucks.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Notes:<strong>  
>- Thank you to those who've reviewed the story since the last chapter came out. They are all deeply appreciated!<br>- This chapter has been modified from its original version ... mostly to clean up formatting, but also to better line up the writing style with later chapters.  
>- The two bands of Survivors are finally united as one! And they've finally escaped from their hometown (and it only took eight chapters.) This marks the end of the first arc. Next chapter will feature the new band in a whole new locale.<br>- The first Spitter makes her appearance! To all the Tachibana fans out there, I apologize ... but she was one of the first ones out sick with the Flu, same as Matsumoto.  
>- Ritsu pronounces Sumire's name just like Jun and Ui do in the high-school restart chapters.<br>- _**TAAAANK! **_What's trying to kill you? Tanks. Why should you keep running? Tanks. You're welcome.  
>- Sumire's death was plotted out right from the beginning of the story, though I do admit to wrestling with it, as I got further into writing this arc of the story. The thought did occur to me "What would happen if <em>Mugi <em>gets killed at the end of Act I, and the others have to cope with this person who reminds them of Mugi, but isn't really Mugi?" But ... then again, killing off the two best players on the Survivors' team in one fell swoop seemed like a quick way to get to a _"... and then they all died. The End."-_type ending. Which I'm trying to avoid.  
>- Unfortunately, so was Nodoka's. The first drafts had it happening as early as Chapter Three, but as Nodoka settled into her role as leader of her band; it became the death portrayed in this chapter as I sought to draw more parallels between the worlds of <em>K-ON!<em> and of _Left 4 Dead._


	9. Chapter 8

**Dead Beats:**  
><em>Drums aren't the only things being beaten.<em>

"Civilian Evac Centers Echo-Golf, Uniform-Hotel, and Sierra-Sierra-Hotel; and JGSDF Camp Kasuminome have been overrun by the Whiskey Delta. Over."

_"I copy ... Good God, that's almost everything, isn't it? Over."_

_"That __**is**__ everything. HQ was first to be overrun. Too many Tango Mikes. Over."_

_"Inside, or outside? Over?"_

_"Both. Are you healthy enough to move? Over?"_

_"That's affirmative. Everyone in the platoon is in full NBC kit, no exceptions. Anyone who was gonna go Whiskey Delta on us has already done so ... and has been dealt with. Over."_

_"Roger that. Good thing ... Continue to fall back to Hyakuri Air Base. They've got strict quarantine measures in place. Over."_

_"I copy. Say, you think we'll do to our Tango Mikes what the Americans have been doing? Over."_

_"You know those are just rumors ... but, it's a possibility. Northern and Eastern Army Commands has been trucking out extra ammo to us ... but let's hope it doesn't come to that. Over."_

_"Acknowledged. Control ... speaking of rumors, I hear Singapore's free of Whiskey Delta? Over."_

_"Affirmative, but they __**have**__ been summarily shooting Tango Mikes. Again, let's hope it doesn't come to that. Over and out."_

Ritsu stared listlessly at the radio in the cab of their wrecked military truck. The windshield bore a star of cracked glass. A single .38 caliber hole lay at the center, surrounded by blood and brains. Another .38 caliber hole had been punched through where the radio's mic used to be. That one was totally accidental.

"I can't believe you shot the driver," Azusa called out from the back. Ritsu grit her teeth, denying the impulse to wheel back on the younger girl. She didn't want them to see her tears.

"Well ... he wasn't doing a very good job of it after he became a _zombie_, was he?"

"He ... he ... he was the only one we had," Azusa retorted.

"Now, now, Azusa-chan," that was Ui. "You have to admit, the worst part of the trip came when he stopped driving, and started trying to attack us."

Ritsu nodded and sniffled. She still didn't look back. There were just six of them ... six left. The drive had given them some time to adjust, but damn ... Two friends gone, just like _that_. She wasn't even that upset over Nodoka's death, and that shocked her. But Sumire ... a girl she'd known for a scant day ...

"Heh, I'm going to miss that girl ... and her gun ... " Ritsu murmured, leaning her head on the bloodstained steering wheel. Her body shook, her eyes burned, and she clutched that steering wheel like a life-preserver ring.

"Hey, Ritsu-senpai," a warm hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Ritsu sniffled.

"I've been better, Ui," she said, exhaling deeply. "Lots, lots better ... but I'll be fine ... someday. How're the others?"

"Onee-chan's okay, I think," Ui replied. "She hasn't said very much. Neither has Mugi-senpai, or Mio-senpai. They're all outside, at the top of the on-ramp, right now." The weight on Ritsu's shoulder increased as Ui leaned closer. "I'm worried about Azusa-chan."

_Mugi's lost her sister, and you're worried about __**Azusa**__?_ Ritsu thought.

"Why Azusa?" That's what Ritsu said instead.

"Well, she and Nodoka-chan didn't always see eye-to-eye," Ui replied, her voice soft. "I think she, maybe, blames herself for Nodoka dying."

Ritsu closed her eyes. The image of that dumpster flattening Sumire would stay with her for the rest of her days.

"I-I'm not the best person to speak to that, Ui," she said, her voice husky again. "H-how are _you_ doing?"

"I'm fine ... I mean ... " there was a soft sigh as Ui searched for the right words. "As long as I've got to look after Onee-chan and you guys, I'll manage."

"I see," Ritsu replied. She sat up and wiped her nose. "Truer words have never been spoken," she said.

"Ritsu-senpai?"

"We're not out of this yet, and I have a promise to keep. I've gotta manage till then."

Ui rubbed Ritsu's shoulders, as the older girl looked back.

"Hey Ui. Maturity looks good on you. Never let that go."

Ui blushed in the growing darkness.

"Onee-chan's way more mature than I am."

"Hey," Ritsu said. "Now's not the time for false modesty."

Ui shook her head vigorously.

"Nuh uh. I mean it," she said. "I-I'm just doing all I can to keep Onee-chan safe. I can't even imagine what I'd do if it was just me. If I didn't have O ... O ... Onee-chan." Ui took a deep, unsteady breath, and another, and then one more. "I'm sorry, Ritsu-senpai."

"Hey," Ritsu replied. "Don't sweat it. We ... we know ourselves, and we do the best we can, right?"

Ui nodded quietly in the darkness.

"Yes ... "

"Let's ... let's just get out of this truck and figure out what to do next."

* * *

><p>"These parked cars go on for kilometers!" Ritsu said.<p>

"M ... m ... maybe they left 'em behind when they were rescued," Mio said, her voice small. Mugi stared out at the long lines of parked and half-wrecked cars, not saying anything.

"That's ... one theory," Ritsu said. "What a mess."

"This is like one of those monster truck arenas Mom likes watching on TV," Yui said, waving her hand like it was a truck driving over a row of junked cars.

"Yeah, well, unless someone comes along with a monster truck, we are _not_ driving out of this."

"Does anyone even know where we _are_?" Azusa asked, staring glumly at the endless train of abandoned cars.

"Somewhere on National Route Four," Ritsu replied, peering at a blue sign by the side of the highway. "I don't know if it matters. What counts is that we're out of town, and we're a _lot_ closer to places the military still controls."

"Ricchan! We're also closer to Tokyo," Yui said.

"Tokyo?"

"Yes!" Yui replied. "Nodoka-chan made me promise to get everyone to Tokyo. Said that's where the military's gonna end up."

"Yui," Mio said, taking a deep breath. "It's a long walk to Tokyo."

"A very long walk," Mugi said, before falling silent once more.

"Yeah," Ritsu finally said, her eyes scanning down the side of the road. "Well, I think the driver was headed south before he became a zombie." She sighted the yellow glow of a temporary highway sign further down. "Let's follow the highway south; maybe we'll get some clues about where he might've been going."

"We could've asked, if you hadn't shot the driver _and_ the radio," Azusa said.

"Nakano, that's enough," Ritsu replied, gritting her teeth.

"Azu-nyan," Yui said, starting toward Azusa.

"Don't even, Yui-senpai! Keep your hands off me!"

"Azusa," Mio said, resting her hands on Azusa's shoulders. "Ritsu did what ... what had to be done."

Azusa pouted as Mio ran her hand through her hair. "I know. It's just ... why does everything that has to be done always involve someone getting killed? The driver's a zombie, let's shoot him. Our classmate just killed someone with her bare hands, let's shoot her. Your classmate spits acid goo at you, so blow her away. Nodoka has to restart the generator and kill a super-big zombie, so she blows herself up ...and ... and ... " Azusa sank to her knees, dropping her head into her hands. This time, she didn't stop Yui from wrapping herself around her.

"I-I'm sorry, Azusa-chan," Ritsu said, walking over to Azusa. She cast a plaintive glance in Mugi's direction, but Mugi was still staring off down the highway. "Look, this killing zombies thing has already gotten old. I don't wanna do it any more than you do."

"I know," Azusa replied between sobs. "It has to be done."

"Hey, not forever," Ritsu said. "I'm sure that, soon, the authorities will get everything back under control; and things will get to be as normal they can be. We ... we just gotta make it till then."

"And ... and what if it never does?"

_You're killing me, Nakano-san,_ Ritsu thought, taking a deep breath. "That's just silly," she said.

"Ritsu," Mio said, raising her hand.

"Okay, okay," Ritsu waved her off. "Azusa, if the authorities won't do it, then we'll just have to go somewhere and _make_ things normal!"

Azusa looked up at Ritsu. "And ... and you call me silly, Ritsu-senpai."

Ritsu grinned, tilting her head to the side. "I mean it in the very best way possible. Now let's get you up."

As they helped Azusa up, Ritsu looked from her, to Mio, to Mugi.

_Sumire, Nodoka ... what have you guys left me with? Mio constantly on the verge of freaking out is bad enough, but now I've got Azusa __**and**__ Mugi to look out for too._

Ritsu sighed. The act made her chest ache, but she didn't dare ask anyone for pills. She cast one last glance at Mugi, before she drew one revolver, and then another. She looked back. Already, Ui had her pair of revolvers ready. Mio caught Ritsu's eye, and hesitantly drew her shiny new Minebea P9 pistol. The driver had no further use for it, nor did he need the submachine gun that Yui had slung over one shoulder.

They'd lost their weapons when the Self Defense Forces picked them up. That Ritsu was able to collect and hide all their revolvers in the chaos after their pickup was nothing less than a miracle. She glanced toward Mugi ... how Mugi managed to hold onto her shotgun, Ritsu didn't know.

_Maybe later,_ she thought, skipping several steps ahead. _Time to put on my game face,_ she thought, plastering on the biggest, most confident, smile she had.

"Okay guys, let's go!"

They fell in behind her. Wordlessly, Mugi dropped into place just behind Ritsu.

"Hey Mugi," Ritsu said.

"Ritsu," Mugi replied.

"How're you doing, Mugi?" Ritsu tried asking, after several moments.

Silence.

"I'm ... I'm sorry if I'm pressing too hard."

"It's not that," Mugi replied, her voice quavering. Several more moments passed in miserable silence. "She was the closest thing I had to a sister. The closest I had to family here. And now ... " she sniffled.

"Mugi-chan ... I'm sorry ... "

"Why?" Mugi fixed Ritsu with icy blue eyes. "You didn't order her to pick up a gun and follow you."

Ritsu didn't have a good answer for that. They trudged onward. Ritsu was as grateful for the silence as she was unnerved by it. Where were the zombies?

She glanced behind her, and wished she hadn't. Still only one head of blonde hair. Still only one shotgun. Still only one of their sorry little band with any _real_ competence at handling a weapon ... well, except for maybe Ui. And possibly Yui. She, at least, was real good at _looking_ the part.

_I didn't come all this way to die somewhere out in the middle of nowhere._

* * *

><p>"Looks like the military's taken over a mall about five kilometers from here," Ritsu said, frowning at the highway sign.<p>

"Ritsu-senpai," Ui said, looking over the side of the railing. "I think that mall is on the far side of the river. If we double back to the interchange, there's a bridge across the river over there."

"What does that get us?"

"I ... think that's where the driver was headed. There's farmland along the river. Might be less zombies that way."

"I told you," Azusa remarked sullenly.

"If nobody has a better idea," Ritsu said, ignoring Azusa. Mugi was leaning against the railings, staring out at the river. Mio leaned up against one of the abandoned cars, hugging herself. "Then let's get back off the highway."

They turned, and began the trudge back toward the on-ramp. Somewhere in the distance, Ritsu heard the barking of dogs. The distant gurgle of the river. She could almost fool herself into thinking things were normal ... there was no screaming, and no gunfire ... but all the sounds of civilization were absent as well.

"Uh oh," Yui said, as they started back down the ramp. Surrounding the crashed truck were a handful of people. One of them looked up at the girls.

_Hisssss!_

The zombies turned and looked, each one growling, starting to jump off the truck and dash toward them.

"Hrrrrgh!"

A woman emerged from behind the truck. Her neck was long, and her mouth hung open. The realization hit Ritsu at the same time Mio screamed.

"S ... s ... spitting z ... zombie!"

"Everyone scatter!" Ritsu shouted. The spitter thrust herself forward and spewed forth a jet of green goo. It splattered behind the girls, and the pavement started to smoke and sputter.

_Bam! Bam!_

The spitter dropped to her knees as she tried to stumble away. They were trapped between the puddle of goo and the zombies running up the on-ramp. Several more appeared, screaming hatefully at them.

_Bam! Bam-bam!_

Ritsu fired her revolvers into the oncoming horde. A zombie tumbled forward.

"This is why we got guns!" She shouted.

"Onee-chan! Shoot toward the truck!"

Gunfire crackled off to Ritsu's side. Sparks lit the pavement and the hood of the truck, but a couple zombies staggered and fell. Ritsu dropped to one knee, firing at a couple of zombies as they bunched together. One dropped, and the others tripped over him. Ui's revolver spoke twice more, stopping the tripped-up zombies.

"Mio-senpai! Cover me, please!" Ui shouted.

_Bam-bam-bam!_

"Aiyeeee!"

"Waaaaaugh!" That one came from up on the highway, but nobody noticed.

_Hack! Hack! Cough!_

Ritsu fired at a zombie point-blank, as he reared up on her. A single hole appeared in his forehead, and he collapsed at Ritsu's feet.

A sharp pain radiated from the seat of Ritsu's pants as she was yanked up to her feet and fell backward. Her scream came out in a startled squeak as air was forced from her lungs. She looked down, and with horror, saw that something purple-red, pulsating, and immensely strong, had wrapped itself around her.

"Help!" Ritsu squawked, as she felt herself being dragged toward the highway. Her head snapped upward.

_There!_

A tall man stood on the highway, grasping the railing. A line of deep red connected him and Ritsu.

"Tongue!" Ritsu squeaked in horror. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw several zombies starting toward her.

_BOOM!_

One pitched forward, and another fell off to the side.

_Bam! Bam!_

The third dropped, looking up at her snarling, reaching for her with a claw-like hand, and dragging itself forward with its other arm.

_BOOM!_

The top of the zombie's head exploded in pink gore.

"Ricchan!" Yui exclaimed starting toward Ritsu. The tongue tightened its grip on her, making it harder and harder for her to breathe.

"T ... tongue! Shoot th ... shoot the tongue!"

Ritsu felt herself being lifted bodily upward. She saw Ui drop to a knee, aiming her revolver ...

_Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!_

There was a wet-sounding explosion, and the horrid thing wrapped around Ritsu suddenly went slack as she was showered in gibs from above.

"Ricchan! It's smoking!" Yui shouted. Azusa and Ui ran over to Ritsu, pulling at the loops of tongue wrapped around her.

"What the hell was that?" Ritsu said. "Are there giant frog zombies attacking us now?"

"Ricchan! Ricchan! It exploded when Ui shot it!"

"Yui-senpai!" Azusa snapped.

Ritsu turned to Ui, struggling to her knees.

"That was some good shooting, Ui."

"It ... it was nothing," Ui replied, as she helped Ritsu to her feet. She looked down, and Ritsu suddenly felt her weight. "I just picked up some tips from Nodoka-chan, that's all."

"I can believe that," Ritsu said softly, smiling faintly at Ui. She then looked past her to Mugi. Mugi briefly met her gaze, and then looked down, reloading her shotgun.

"It ... it ... it's," Mio stammered, looking around. "It's like they planned this ... hahahahaha!"

"Mio!" Ritsu exclaimed. Mio's eyes snapped over to look into Ritsu's. "Mioooo ... do me a favor and leave the jokes to me, mkay?"

"Y-yeah! That wasn't funny, Mio-senpai," Azusa chimed in, balling her fists at her sides.

"But it's true," Yui said. Ritsu draped her arm around Yui's shoulder, leaning close.

"It's true ... truly a bad joke!" Ritsu said, louder than she needed to, squeezing very tightly. "Let's all just keep going and get to that bridge, okay!"

* * *

><p>"Where are you guys going?" Ritsu said, frowning at Yui and Azusa. The girls were standing in the middle of the intersection, with the bridge extending off to the south, towards columns of smoke rising into the encroaching twilight.<p>

"The bridge, Ricchan, the bridge!"

"The bridge is _that_ way, guys," Ritsu replied, biting her lip.

"But that ... that's the roadway. We should use the walkway," Azusa said.

Ritsu shook her head. "I don't know about you, but I _don't_ want to go single-file down a straight and narrow walkway. Especially not one with three-foot high walls on either side."

"What's wrong with that?" Ui said. "Any zombies coming at us would also have to come at us single-file, right?"

"You guys have never seen a charger, have you? Big, muscular guy who runs at you really fast, and then tries to pound you into the ground?"

"Nuh uh," Yui replied. Azusa and Ui shook their heads.

"We have," Ritsu said. "Mugi and I both," she added, looking to Mugi. Mugi looked down and away, not saying anything. Ritsu tried her best to shake it off, looking back to Azusa and Yui. "So if you guys wanna get knocked down like bowling pins, then be my guest."

Azusa made an uncertain noise, looking down the long strip of black. Truthfully, the bridge wasn't all that wide, being comprised of just two lanes.

"She's right, guys," Ui said. "And ... and we'd also be at the mercy of the ones that scream and leap."

"And th ... th ... the ones that s ... spit acid," Mio said, glancing down at her pistol.

"Well, I feel _real_ cheerful now, guys," Ritsu said, walking out ahead of her friends. "Let's get across the bridge."

The others made noises of assent, following behind Ritsu. She drew her guns, peering out across the bridge. It was remarkably empty of cars, and she guessed that anyone trying to leave town would've gotten on the main highway ... to become tinned snacks for the undead.

She shivered, glancing off to her east, at the river under their feet, at the dark shapes of low-laying mountains in the distance. Back to the south, at the equally dark shapes of buildings with darkened windows. At the smoke reaching into the blackening sky.

"Why do I get the feeling this is gonna be a bust," she said to herself.

"Eh, Ritsu-senpai?" Ui said, from behind.

"Nothing," Ritsu replied. "Just, uh, talking to myself. So ... guess you've been looking at maps, huh?"

"Mhm," Ui said after a few moments.

"Any idea where to go after we get across this bridge?"

"Well," Ui said, frowning thoughtfully. "If we follow this road about a kilometer into town, it crosses the local rail line. We can follow that and avoid most of the town completely."

"I like, I like," Ritsu replied. "I definitely like the thought of avoiding town."

"We should ... make a couple of stops first," Ui suddenly said, motioning toward a squat brown block of an apartment complex off to the right side of the road. "Maybe borrow some more food and water for the walk?"

"Yeah ... borrow," Ritsu replied with a bit of a grin.

"R ... R ... Ritsu!" Mio called out.

Ritsu bit her lip. "Yes, Mio?"

"How much longer are we going to walk? It's getting d ... d ... dark, and the power's out."

"Y'know, I _am_ getting pretty hungry," Yui added.

"You had a whole MRE an hour ago, Yui-senpai!"

Yui stuck out her tongue. "I want _real_ food. Hey Ricchan, do you think there's a cake shop here?"

"Will you all shut up for a minute so I can think!"

The others stared at Ritsu in sudden, shocked, silence. She took a deep breath, and looked at the block of apartments.

"We're going to head to those apartments there and look for supplies," she said.

"Ritsu, is that such a good idea?" Mio asked, fixing her eyes on Ritsu.

"Mio, don't ask silly questions," Ritsu replied. "Of _course_ it's a good idea! We need supplies, right? That apartment's got supplies! Roads are pretty empty here, so that means people here tried to get out, right? If they got out, that means they're not here to object!"

"Ritsu," Mugi said, crossing the gap between her and Ritsu in several steps. "Breathe," she suggested, putting a hand on Ritsu's shoulder and applying a grip that felt like a steel vise.

"Guys, I'm sorry," Ui said. "I suggested it to her. I want to try to avoid as much of the town as possible, so, maybe we should, um, stock up."

"On delicious and tasty foods," Yui replied. "Ui's got this psychic connection with my stomach, you know?"

"You're just always hungry, Yui-senpai," Azusa said. "Always, always hungry. Sometimes I wonder how you're not as big as a house."

"That was just mean, Azu-nyan."

"Guys!" Ritsu said, fighting for her composure. "C'mon! Can we _not_ do this right now? How about we go inside, find a kitchen, and talk about food _there._ Away from all the zombies!"

"The zombies!" Mio gasped.

Shapes came running at them from the inky twilight, screaming and snarling. Someone turned on a flashlight, and suddenly, there were a lot of pairs of yellow eye-shine.

"The r-river Ricchan!" Yui shouted, a flashlight beam playing toward the brush lining the path to the river. Crawling toward them were still more zombies, mostly naked save for the generous coating of mud that glistened on their bodies.

_Bam! Bam!_

"Are you _kidding_? Zombie mud-men!"

"Onee-chan! Shoot toward the river, I'll shoot toward town! Mugi-chan! Help me, please!" Ui called out.

"Ritsu!" Mio screamed. "They're coming!"

"Tell me something I don't know!" Ritsu replied, firing her guns into a group of mud-men galloping toward her. It was amazing how fast they could move on all fours. Yui appeared next to Ritsu and lit up the evening with the fiery strobe of SMG fire.

_Click!_

"Oops," Yui said. "Ricchan! Ricchan!"

"Aww hell," Ritsu snapped, unloading her guns at the closing zombies. She watched one drop, and then another. One of the mud-men reached her, rearing up.

"Oh God, my eyes!" Ritsu screamed. "I can't see! I can't see!" She screamed, trying to claw the river mud from her eyes. A fist to the ribcage dropped her, breathless, to her knees.

_Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!_ That sounded like Mio's pistol.

"Arooooough!" A zombie screamed in the distance. Ritsu had heard that sound just once before. There was the harsh buzz-saw sound of a lot of bullets fired in very short order. Another mud-man slipped past Mio and Yui, but Ritsu could now see just well enough to see him coming. She drove her head into his groin, doubling him over and sending him tumbling over her. As she turned to try to shoot at it ...

_BOOM!_

A spray of blood exploded from the mud-man's head, he thrashed on the pavement, and then was still.

"You ... you've gotta stop doing that, Ritsu," Mio said, offering her hand. Ritsu grabbed the offered hand, staggering to her feet. She glanced past Yui, past the dead mud-men, at the dead charger that had tried to dash at them from the path parallel to the river.

"Hey Ritsu," Mio said. "You've got mud in your eye." Ritsu looked back at Mio, then she wiped her face and wiped her hand on Mio's cheek.

_Thump!_

"Ritsuuuu!" Mio screamed, rubbing her fist. Ritsu peered at her through one eye. After tackling a charging mud-man with her head, one of Mio's skull-thumpers didn't hurt so bad.

"Now we're even," Ritsu replied.

"You ... you look like a mess," Mio said, her eyes roaming up and down Ritsu's body. Ritsu ran her fingers through her hair and smeared more river mud on the front of Mio's jacket.

"Now you do too," she replied.

Mio looked at Ritsu, and Ritsu looked at Mio. Mio was the first to crack, her lips ticking upward in a smirk of her own, the first laugh emerging in a sharp exhalation. That sharp exhalation was followed by several more, rolling together, and erupting into open-mouthed laughter.

Ritsu was caught in the wave, erupting into laughter of her own. Laughter that came from places unknown, and laughter that quickly carried her away. Both girls pointed at each other, covered in mud and blood, and laughed until both were left helplessly clutching their sides while the others looked on in mute astonishment.

* * *

><p><em>Thoom!<em>

The tall zombie behind the door exploded, just like Yui said. An ominous cloud of green smoke filled the air, again, just like Yui said.

"Everybody back!" Ritsu screamed. "Don't breathe that stuff in!"

Too late. Yui was already gagging and coughing.

"Ugh ... terrible! Stinky, stinky, _stinky!_ "

"Onee-chan!" Ui gasped, lunging forward. Ritsu grabbed her by the shoulder, just in time. Yui stumbled backward toward them, and then dropped onto her butt. Ritsu could see the fine particles of the "smoke" slowly drifting down ... away from Yui. She released her hold on Ui, who dashed to her sister's side.

"Onee-chan! Onee-chan! Are you all right?"

Yui coughed and smiled weakly at Ui. "I'm fine, I'm fine. I don't think I'm hungry anymore, though."

"H ... here, have some of my water," Ui said, reaching for her backpack. Ritsu frowned.

"Y'know, I saw a _Star Trek_ episode like this once," she said. Just another thing to possibly go on the list of reasons the cosmos seemed to hate one Ritsu Tainaka. At least, once they'd recovered their composure, the dash to the apartments had been blissfully uneventful.

"Star ... Trek," Mugi said. Ritsu looked back at her. When she and Mio had their moment, Ritsu had seen, for a fleeting instant, that certain twinkle in Mugi's eye.

"Old campy American show," Ritsu replied, grateful that Mugi had said anything at all; yet hopeful she wouldn't say anything more. Not right now.

"Oh," Mugi said, turning away. Ritsu felt both the need to sigh with relief, and felt her heartache deepen further.

"Let's ... uh, let's try the next apartment down. Hopefully that won't have a ... a smoker hiding behind the door."

_Smoker ... yeah ... better than frog zombie,_ she thought, taking a deep breath and dashing through the dispersing clouds of green. They passed one apartment, and then they were at the last pair at the end of the pitch-black hallway. She felt Mio come up beside her.

"Left or right?"

"Left," Mio replied, without hesitation.

"That's my girl," Ritsu said softly. She reached for the door, trying the doorknob.

_Rattle, rattle, rattle!_

"Yep, locked ... Mugi!"

Mugi hurried over and tried the door herself. When it wouldn't give, she took a step back ...

_WHAM!_

With a tremendous kick, the door was flung open. Behind them, muffled screams came from the apartment across the hallway.

_Thump! Thump! Thump!_

The zombies were already trying to beat down the door. Ritsu wheeled back, bringing up a revolver.

_Bam! Bam! Bam!_

Ragged holes appeared in the door, and howls of agony and rage pushed through them.

_Bam! Bam! Bam!_

Ui fired at the door, just as a zombie exploded through it, only to drape himself limply across the hole he'd just made.

Silence. Apart from her racing heart, all Ritsu heard was silence.

"All ... all right," she forced the words out. "Let's get have a look around the apartment that's _not_ filled with zombies."

"I will keep an eye on the door," Mugi said. Ritsu shook her head.

"Ui, why don't you and Mio keep an eye on the door?"

"M ... m ... me?" Mio started to stammer.

"You, you, yes you," Ritsu replied. "I know you, Mio-san. You see anything like a zombie and you'll scream; and that'll bring the rest of us running."

"Ritsuuuuuu!"

"Don't worry, Ui will protect you."

"Ritsu-senpai ... I ... I think I should be looking for supplies," Ui said, turning back toward the door, all the same.

Ritsu shook her head. "Between Mugi, and myself, I think we'll manage."

"Squad Member Ricchan! What do I do?" Yui said.

Ritsu looked down for a moment. "How about you and Azusa find the kitchen, maybe find us something to eat."

"R-Ritsu-senpai! Is that such a good idea?" Azusa spoke up.

"Don't you worry, my Azu-nyan, I'll find us lots of good things to eat."

"That's not what I'm worried about! And what happened to not being hungry anymore!"

"Oh, that's all water under the bridge. What's important is _now_ Azu-nyan, and I'm hungry _now!_"

Ritsu hooked her arm into Mugi's. She felt the other girl tense up.

"C'mon, Mugi, let's go out onto the balcony," she said, feeling her heart jump into her throat. She started to shake, and she clutched Mugi's arm even tighter.

"R ... R ... Ritsu? Is something wrong?"

"Apart from everything?" Ritsu replied, blinking rapidly. "Everything ... it's ...it's like herding cats."

Somehow, she found the latch to the sliding door, and the two girls stepped out onto the balcony. Dried laundry flapped in a chill evening breeze, gauzy moonlight filtering through the moving fabric.

"Cats?" Mugi echoed, her eyes searching Ritsu's. Ritsu shook her head.

"It's ... it's not important," Ritsu replied, taking a deep breath. "Talk to me, Mugi. Please, talk to me? You've been awful quiet lately and ... and ... and it scares me."

"Ritsu," Mugi said, her eyes darting from side to side.

"Please, Mugi?" Ritsu grabbed both of Mugi's arms, forcing the other girl to face her. She stared at Mugi's face until Mugi's eyes locked onto hers.

"Well ... " Mugi started to say, hesitantly. Suddenly, she backed away from Ritsu. "Tell me ... what happened with you and Sumire?"

* * *

><p><span><strong>Notes:<strong>  
>- And so ends the first chapter of the new arc. The girls are all together, for the first time, and already, the cracks appear.<br>- The Dilemma of Setting: Where does K-On! take place? The anime visuals are all locations from Kyoto, only none of the girls speak with the right accent, and the "Kyoto Trip" episode demonstrates that the series doesn't take place in Kyoto. Best I've gathered is "somewhere north of Tokyo," So, I'm running with it.  
>- First Smokers of the story!<br>- Mio's "joke" references how it seems that the Specials are working together to bring about an optimum quantity of death to the Survivors. It's also the kind of nervous joke Mio would make.  
>- Since nobody was close enough to the river to actually shoot any of the mud-men in the water, let alone ten of them, nobody gets the 'Dead in the Water' achievement.<br>- The cosmos doesn't _really_ hate Ritsu. The cosmos, however, does believe that she's an _excellent_ sport.  
>- The <em>Star Trek<em> episode Ritsu's thinking about is _This Side of Paradise_.  
>- I'm revising this chapter, just like the others. Most of the changes are minor, including one I had to make for the sake of continuity with the later chapters.<p> 


	10. Chapter 9

**Dead Space:  
><strong>_Where all good victims go to die._

"Talk to me, Mugi. Please, talk to me? You've been awful quiet lately and . . . and . . . and it scares me," Ritsu said, staring up at Mugi.

"Ritsu," Mugi said, her eyes darting from side to side, seeming to glitter in the ghostly moonlight.

"Please, Mugi?" Ritsu grabbed both of Mugi's arms, forcing the other girl to face her. She stared at Mugi's face until Mugi's eyes locked onto hers.

"Well . . . " Mugi started to say, hesitantly. Suddenly, she backed away from Ritsu. "Tell me . . . what happened with you and Sumire?"

"Mugi," Ritsu said, closing her eyes. The memories were there, fresh and painful. She could feel those thunderous footsteps; she could hear those roars, and the screams of terror.

"She was right behind me," Ritsu continued. "We were running . . . from the big guy," she said, as her vision began to blur. She blinked, forcing back tears.

"How," Mugi whispered, "how did . . . did she . . . "

"There was this alley . . . and she . . . we stopped to catch our breath," Ritsu was looking past, _through_ Mugi now. "She . . . she said it hurt, and I tried to pull her with me and she . . . and she . . . "

"What? What did she do . . . Ricchan," Mugi said, a tear tracing a gleaming trail down her cheek.

"I . . . I don't know," Ritsu replied. "Suddenly, I was . . . like . . . stumbling forward and that big guy . . . he just . . . hit the dumpster we were hiding behind so hard it . . . _flew_."

"So . . . that's what that noise was," Mugi said softly. "I heard a big crash . . . when Mio and I had gotten out of that alley. Was Sumire . . . "

All Ritsu could do was nod, her eyes gleaming, her fists balled at her sides as she tried not to cry.

"I . . . I'm sorry," she said in a very small voice.

"Why?" Mugi's blue eyes glimmered like ice in the pale moonlight. "It's . . . it's . . . " she looked off into the dark, abandoned town, "it's not like there was anything you could've done!" Those blue eyes screwed themselves tightly shut, and tears started to course down her cheeks.

"Ricchan," Mugi cried. Ritsu did the only thing she could think of doing, throwing her arms around Mugi.

"He was big," Mugi sobbed. "And you two . . . you tried to get away, but she . . . she," Mugi trailed off, and Ritsu found herself crushed tightly in her embrace.

"Mugi . . . Mugiiii," she said softly, squeezing Mugi for all she was worth.

" . . . what I tell myself," she heard Mugi choke out, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"Mugi?" Ritsu said, as the blonde disentangled herself, sniffling.

"I . . . " Mugi started to say, wiping her eyes. "I should've done this sooner. I . . . should've talked to you and I'm sorry!" Her words came out in a rush. Ritsu reached out to touch her, and felt the other girl ever-so-slightly stiffen at her touch. She smiled an uncertain, ephemeral, smile.

"Hey," she said. "I won't hold anything else back if you won't."

Mugi returned the smile. "It's a deal, Ric . . . chan," she replied with a sniffle. "I can't lose anyone else."

Ritsu slipped her arms around Mugi. "We're not doing so bad," she squeezed. "As long as we stick together, I'd bet on us making it out of this."

"Yes," Mugi replied, her voice, again, reduced to a whisper.

Ritsu smiled again. "Let's get inside. The others are going to wonder what's up if we stay here much longer."

Mugi looked down and away, as if she were going to say something. She then looked back up at Ritsu and nodded silently.

* * *

><p>"You guys did good," Ritsu said, tilting her head and looking at Azusa and Yui.<p>

"Ah, Ricchan," Yui replied. Her blush was luminescent. Azusa looked thoughtful.

"Well," she said, "we got lucky that whoever lived here left early and nothing broke in."

"Yeah," Mio added, nibbling tentatively on a sandwich.

"We're even luckier that Azu-nyan saw that camping stove!" Yui said, picking up a small cup filled with steaming tea.

Ui nodded from the edge of the room. "It's good. I can make us hot meals, as long as we find more fuel for this stove."

"And tea!" Yui said.

"Definitely tea," Mugi added. Ritsu looked over at her. The way Mugi said it was still cool and detached, but, somehow, it felt less so than before she and Ritsu had their talk.

"So . . . what now?" Azusa said.

"That's the easy part," Ritsu replied. "We stay here for tonight. I don't wanna be out in the dark with the zombies."

"'Cause they're like cats, right?" Yui said. The others looked at her, but Azusa nodded.

"Yeah . . . their eyes glow when you shine lights on them," she said. "It . . . makes sense."

_Thump!_

Mio fell back against the wall, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Mio?"

"H . . . how . . . how much worse is it gonna get," Mio said in a tiny voice. "Big ones . . . small ones . . . charging ones . . . ones with tongues . . . pouncing ones . . . spitting ones . . . and they can all see in the dark . . . "

"Miooooo," Ritsu repeated, putting her hand on Mio's shoulder. "C'mon, snap out of it," she said, feeling butterflies in her gut. "C'mon . . . we've killed every kind of zombie that's come at us so far. It can't get _any_ worse."

"How do you know that?" Azusa said.

Ritsu shot Azusa a look as Mio hugged herself even tighter.

"Look," she said. "The only way it could get worse is if there were fire-breathing zombie _kaiju_ out there."

"We've seen just about every _other_ kind of zombie," Azusa replied.

"Then we'll just have to take care of them, won't we?" Ritsu shot back.

"Like Nodoka-senpai did?"

"Don't be stupid, Azusa," Ritsu snapped, the accusatory bite in Azusa's words burning her.

"Guys, please, stop it! This is ridiculous," Mugi said, clutching her hands together. All heads snapped toward her.

"Mugi-senpai?"

"Mugi?"

"Mugi-chan?"

Ritsu forced herself to take one deep breath, and then another, and then another.

"It is," she said. "We're all on-edge right now. Let's . . . let's just . . . just get some rest tonight. Sort out what happens next in the morning." She took another breath, pressing her hand to her chest. "I'll stay up and keep an eye out for zombies."

"Ritsu, I'll stay up with you," Mugi said.

"You don't have to, Mugi," Ritsu replied, but Mugi shook her head.

"I must," she replied. "I insist. We can wake up . . . Azusa-chan and Ui-chan in a few hours to watch over us till morning."

Ritsu swallowed and looked at Ui, and then Azusa. "Are you guys okay with this?"

Ui nodded. "Yes, Ritsu-senpai. Azusa-chan and I can handle it. Right, Azusa?"

Azusa looked at Ritsu, then Mugi, and finally at Ui. "Y . . . yes."

* * *

><p>Azusa screamed, her heart hammering the inside of her chest. She gulped fiery lungfuls of air and forced her legs to work.<p>

"Senpais!" She screamed, hurtling herself into a dark alleyway. "Where are you?"

Behind her, she heard grunts and screams . . . zombies chasing her. She could hear their footfalls. She could smell their acrid, unwashed, stink.

"Senpais? Where are you? Yui-senpai!"

Behind her, her pursuers picked up their pace. She ran down the alleyway, knocking over several empty boxes, stumbling desperately forward.

"Help me, please!"

"Anyone!"

Azusa ducked into a dark corner, grabbing at a doorknob. Mercifully, it was unlocked, and she hurtled the door open, dashing inside. With all her weight, she slammed the door shut again, fumbling to lock it.

_WHAM!_

_WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!_

Zombies pounded at the door, and Azusa pushed against it.

"Yui-senpai! Please? Anyone?"

She heard something shuffle in the dark. Azusa frantically looked around, feeling the zombies pounding at the door behind her, and hearing the shuffling in the darkness in front of her.

"Azu-nyaaaaaan!"

"Yui-senpai?"

"Azuuuuuu-nyaaaaan!"

"Yui-senpai! Where are you? You've got to help me!"

Strong arms wrapped around Azusa from behind.

"I've got you," Yui said. For the briefest of moments, Azusa felt herself relax, starting to lean back against Yui. But, something was wrong. Yui felt . . . _cold_ . . . and she was suddenly overcome with the putrid odor of dried vomit.

"Yui?" Azusa said, trying to turn her head to look at Yui.

_Yellow eyes!_

Azusa screamed as the thing that was Yui bared a mouthful of blackened teeth and lunged for her exposed neck . . .

* * *

><p>Azusa was awake in an instant, feeling a hot hand clamped over her mouth.<p>

"Azusa-chan!" Ui said, urgently. "You had a nightmare!"

Azusa's eyes darted back and forth. Immediately, they found Mugi's, and then Ritsu's; staring into hers with notable concern.

"Mmmph!" She said, reaching for Ui's hand. Ui slowly let go and Azusa took a deep breath.

"Are you okay?" Ritsu said. "If Ui hadn't caught you, you'd have woken everybody up . . . and who knows what else."

Azusa nodded jerkily.

"I . . . I'm fine . . . where's Yui-senpai!"

"She's asleep with Mio-chan," Mugi replied, gesturing toward two shapes asleep on the floor. Yui lay, sprawled out, but clean and definitely alive. Azusa breathed a sigh of relief, ignoring the looks she got from Mugi and Ritsu. Suddenly, Mugi yawned, looking embarrassed.

"I'm sorry," she said, "it's been a long four hours."

"Four hours?" Azusa repeated.

"Yes," Ritsu replied. "That means it's time for you and Ui to keep watch." Ritsu leaned closer. "Are you still okay with this?"

Azusa glanced at Ui, who smiled and nodded. She then pursed her lips and looked back at Ritsu, nodding.

Ritsu smiled.

"That's good," she said. "It's been quiet," she added. "There's zombies in the streets, but none close by . . . but . . . just keep your eyes open, okay?"

Azusa nodded, biting her lip. "Y . . . yes."

Ritsu yawned, stretching.

"I hope I get some rest," she said, rubbing her back. "

"Good night, Ritsu-senpai," Ui replied. "Azusa-chan and I can handle it from here."

"Good night, Ritsu-senpai," Azusa echoed.

"Azusa-chan, Ui-chan, have a good night," Mugi said, yawning again.

"Good night, Mugi-senpai," Ui and Azusa replied. Soon, heavy silence settled over them both. Ui looked toward the patio door, and Azusa found herself staring back toward where the others were sleeping. She hugged herself, the image of a zombie Yui vivid in her mind.

"Azusa-chan?"

"Y . . . yes!" Azusa replied with a start. She turned back to see Ui watching her.

"What do you think of going outside and getting some fresh air?"

"Out . . . outside? Is . . . is that safe?"

Ui smiled and tilted her head. "Just to the balcony . . . the Moon's out, so we'll be able to see if anything's coming. And, it probably smells better than it does in here."

Azusa nodded silently. Nobody had said anything, but there was a certain odor inside the apartment. Odors of fermentation, of sickness, of rot, and of decay. Not that any of them smelled appreciably better. The stink of fear was strong on all of them, and for the first time, she thought it was funny how she was noticing this.

The glass door rumbled softly as Ui drew it open, stepping out into the cool moonlight. Azusa followed her out onto the balcony, feeling the early morning chill on her skin.

"It's cold," she said, unconsciously wrapping her arms around herself. She looked out on the desolate grays of a landscape lit only by moonlight. Warm arms wrapped themselves around her, and she felt the warmth of another body pressed up behind hers.

"Ui! What are you doing?"

"Shhh," Ui replied. "I've always wondered what it must feel like for Onee-chan to do this with you."

"It . . . it . . . it's not that great," Azusa managed. "Sh . . . she does it way too much!"

"But Onee-chan is so warm, isn't she?" Ui replied, sighing softly. "In a way, it makes me a . . . little jealous."

Azusa pursed her lips together. "Well . . . don't be." All the same, she made no move to resist. It was still chilly outside, and the streets were still crawling with zombies. A shiver went up her spine and she hugged herself tighter.

"Are you okay, Azusa-chan?"

"It . . . it's just cold, that's all," Azusa replied.

"Nuh uh, that isn't what I meant," Ui said.

Azusa took a deep breath. "What . . . do you mean?"

"I don't know," Ui replied. "But, hear me out."

Azusa turned back to stare at Ui.

"Okay."

Ui looked away from her, down at the parking below. And then, her eyes were fixed on Azusa's "It's like you haven't really been yourself since this all started."

Silence greeted her.

"I mean, I've seen you with Onee-chan, and the others. You and Onee-chan usually get along so well, and she tells me that you're responsible, like Mio-chan, when you're with the others."

Azusa nodded mutely. Her heart leapt, and oddly, she felt like a captive in Ui's arms.

"I'm sorry," Ui said.

"D . . . don't be," Azusa replied, forcing herself to relax. "I . . . I bet Yui-senpai's like an open book to you."

"Onee-chan never, ever, holds back with anyone," Ui said, shaking her head. "Which is why I'm worried about you. Please don't take this the wrong way, Azusa-chan, but you've been rude lately."

Azusa shrugged Ui off, turning to face her. "Rude?"

Ui nodded silently. "You've been short with the others, and especially Onee-chan. It's not like you, Azusa-chan . . . so that's why I'm asking if you're doing okay."

Azusa stared at Ui for several long moments.

"What do you think?" She said. "I've lost my family. I've had to learn how to shoot guns, and then I've . . . I've killed, and watched people die. Even strong people, like Nodoka-senpai! It's not fair; the whole world is going crazy! Yui-senpai's the worst of all! She acts like there's nothing's wrong, and I just don't understand why, and . . . and, _you ask me if I'm __**okay**_?"

"Azusa-chan," Ui said, her tone firm. Azusa's mouth snapped shut.

"Yes?"

"Azusa-chan," Ui repeated, gently. "If Onee-chan thinks nothing's wrong, then there's nothing wrong . . . I mean . . . well, there are the zombies, and the killing, and the death but . . . we're all here together." She closed her eyes, clasping her hands in front of her. "I don't know if this will make you feel better, we're here with you, and I'm sure everyone is here _for_ you, no matter what."

Azusa stared at Ui, struggling to find something to say. There were so many things on her mind, so many things that were wrong; like the nightmare she'd just had. But what could she say? How could she say it?

"Is that so?" Was all that she could manage.

Ui smiled, tilting her head to one side.

"Absolutely!"

* * *

><p>Screaming surrounded Ritsu. Screaming, howling, snarling zombies, descending on her and her friends.<p>

"Keep shooting! Keep shooting!" She cried, firing her revolvers at several zombies crawling toward her.

_BOOM! BOOM!_

Shotguns went off, and the volume of the screaming went down. Behind her, she heard the crackle of submachine guns.

"Eeeyah! Oooough!" A zombie woman snarled, lunging at Ritsu. She screamed in surprise, kicking at the woman, trying to smash a pistol over the woman's head.

_Bam!_

Ritsu fired as the woman stumbled back, and then fired again, and the woman dropped, like a puppet with its strings cut.

Suddenly, off to her side, there was a tremendous howl.

_Flying!_

Ritsu was knocked off her feet, both her guns lost in an instant. The flying sensation was short-lived, as her world came apart in a maelstrom of agony, as she was smashed into the wall. She tried, desperately, to brace herself against the pounding she knew she was about to receive . . .

_BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!_

Ritsu was on the ground, her head was pounding, and her ears were ringing. The charger lay off to the side, dead.

"You've got to get up, Ritsu!" A voice said, lunging closer with panicked footfalls.

A blonde woman dropped to her knees at Ritsu's side, blotting out the afternoon sunlight.

"C'mon," Sumire said, sliding her free arm under Ritsu's back. "Let's get you on your feet."

Ritsu groaned, feeling her body ache with each move.

"Th . . . thanks, Su-mii-re . . . that was too close.

"D . . . don't mention it," Sumire replied.

"Anyone see my guns," Ritsu said, looking around, feeling Sumire brush the dirt off her back. She frowned a deep frown. "Wait," she said, turning to look into the blonde's eyes.

"Y . . . yes, Ritsu-san?"

"H . . . h . . . how are you still alive?"

Sumire looked at Ritsu with a wide-eyed, somewhat incredulous expression.

"You . . . that dumpster . . . that big guy . . . how did you survive!"

_Wham!_

Ritsu slammed her palms into the desk, thrusting herself as far forward as she could go.

"Tell me . . . I . . . _I'm curious!_" She said breathlessly.

Sumire continued to stare at Ritsu, clutching a tray in her hands, looking immaculate in one of Sawako's maid costumes.

"Oh," Ritsu finally said, feeling crestfallen. "I'm dreaming, aren't I?"

Sumire closed her eyes and smiled gently. "It is what you make of it, Ritsu-san."

"Please . . . call me Ritsu," Ritsu said, her voice thick as she looked past Sumire, at the clubroom. God, it felt like it'd been a long time since she'd last seen it.

"I . . . I'm sorry," Sumire said, "it's just a habit, that's all. W . . . won't you stay? I'm getting ready to serve tea!"

Ritsu laughed, though it came out as a polite, awkward cough. "Tea, huh?" It was then that she noticed a dark-haired girl sitting at the opposite end of the clubroom's impromptu table. She was tapping away on a faculty laptop. Something about her purple hair clips and red-framed glasses tickled the edge of Ritsu's mind.

"Su-mi-re? Who's that?"

"Oh," Sumire replied, "that's Nao, our producer."

"Producer?" Ritsu said, frowning. She looked to Nao. "How do you do?"

Nao typed something on her laptop. The noise of the keystrokes sounded very much like _I'm fine._

"Huh, weird," Ritsu said. "Where are the others, Sumire?"

"The others? Oh . . . Jun-senpai is on cleaning duty today, and Ui-senpai is bringing up something to eat."

"Nononono," Ritsu said, shaking her head vigorously. "I meant the _others!_ Mio? Mugi? Yui? Azusa?"

Suddenly, Ritsu jumped as Nao's laptop began to play a thundering, ominous, orchestral piece.

"What the hell! That scared me," Ritsu exclaimed. Just then, she felt the floor vibrate under her feet.

_"Rooooooaaaarrr!_"

The windows shook, and the thundering footsteps drove icicles into Ritsu's bowels.

_Boom! Boom! Boom!_

_"Hrrraaaaaargh!"_

"Sumire! Nao!" Ritsu screamed. "We have to get out of here! We have to get out of here _now!_ " She said, desperately feeling the waist of her skirt, searching the pockets of her blazer, desperately seeking her guns.

"Wh . . . what are you talking about?" Sumire said, her eyes wide as she backed away from Ritsu.

_Crash!_

"Don't you remember!" Ritsu yelled. "The big guy? Big as a tank? Can't you feel that! We've got to move! I won't lose you again!"

"I . . . I don't understand!" Sumire said, clutching her serving tray with whitened knuckles. "You're scaring me, Ritsu-san."

_"Yeeearrrgh!"_

_CRUNCH!_

"Goddamn it, _please_ tell me you heard that!"

Sumire looked at Ritsu, realization seeming to dawn on her, and then she sighed. "Ritsu-san, calm down, please. You're overreacting . . . that's . . . that's just the club president!"

* * *

><p>"Whaaaat!" Ritsu screamed. It was dark. Next to her, Mio murmured irritably, turned away from Ritsu, and resumed her soft snoring a few moments later.<p>

"Just . . . just . . . just a dream," Ritsu gasped to herself, feeling her heart thundering in her chest. All the same, she felt at her hips. There, comfortingly (and irritatingly) digging into her side, she felt her revolver.

"God damn it," she swore in the inky darkness. "I hate this! I hate all of it! If we get out of this, I'm never playing another zombie game, or watching another horror movie ever again. _Ever!_ Hell, I'll even trash all my Iron Maiden albums! Do you hear me, Mio?"

Mio murmured something that sounded especially rude, curling up tighter.

Ritsu blushed in the darkness and gently touched Mio's shoulder.

"Sorry, Mio," she whispered, looking across the living room of the apartment that was their little haven for the night. Mugi had lain down next to Yui, and Yui was snoring with her mouth agape.

"The strawberry is the soul of the cake!" Yui murmured, between snores. Ritsu sniffled and sighed.

"It sure is, Yui-san. It sure is." Ritsu sat up, looking down at Yui. "You know, I could really go for some cake right now." Her voice failed her, and she stared at the floor. "Among other things."

Ritsu shook her head violently, leaping to her feet.

"Not going to think about that!"

"Ritsu," Mio murmured.

Ritsu rubbed the back of her own head, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Mio," she whispered, just as she noticed another shape in the darkness.

"Azusa?"

"Ritsu-senpai?" Ui said, emerging from the bathroom. Ritsu carefully picked her way over to Ui.

"Why is Azusa asleep?"

"I told her to go back to sleep, Ritsu-senpai. I'm sorry."

Ritsu shook her head. "Don't be. Have you been up all this time?"

"Mhm," Ui replied. Ritsu stared at her.

"All alone?"

"I'm fine, Ritsu-senpai. Really! I'll be good until morning too, so you should go back to sleep."

"Nah," Ritsu said, shaking her head. "Not much good happens when I fall asleep now." She looked down at Azusa in silence.

"Did you?"

"Mhm," Ui replied. Mugi had put her up to volunteering to stay up with Azusa.

Ritsu looked up at Ui. "Well, don't hold back."

"I'm still worried about her," Ui replied. "I don't think she's handling this well, at all."

Ritsu exhaled, shrugging. "Well, guess I can't blame her. Heck, I don't know how I'm doing so well." She laughed, though her laughter was devoid of mirth. "Maybe I'm just crazy."

"Ritsu-senpai," Ui replied. "It's not that bad."

Ritsu laughed bitterly. "I wish I shared your optimism, Ui," she said.

Ui tilted her head to the side. "I'm just stating a fact. I mean, given the way things are right now; what are the chances that all of us would end up together, like this?"

"Well," Ritsu replied. "Not all of us made it."

"I know," Ui said. "But, I remember you telling me that we know ourselves, and we just have to do the best we can. So, here I am, and I think I'm doing the best I can when I'm with you guys and Onee-chan . . . and . . . and I'm sure the others feel the same way."

"Yeah . . . I did say that, didn't I?" Ritsu replied, closing her eyes.

"Mhm," Ui said, nodding. She put her hand on Ritsu's shoulder, causing the other girl's eyes to snap open. "You just have to believe it for yourself."

Ritsu laughed again, softly. "That cuts deep, Hirasawa-san. But, I get it." She put her hand on Ui's shoulder in return. "So . . . back to the question at hand. What do you think we should do for Azusa?"

"I . . . don't know," Ui replied, looking down at Azusa's sleeping form. "Whatever it is, it should be something we all do for her together."

"Together . . . yeah . . . " Ritsu said. "I guess, maybe, we could use some 'togetherness' right now. 'Together 'cause the zombies are out to get us,' isn't going to last forever," she added, trying not to sigh with relief. Relief that someone else was saying things that made sense . . . relief that, maybe, she wouldn't have to bear all the responsibility alone.

"Mmm," Ui shook her head. "It's not . . . but it's not going to end right away. So there's time to come up with something and . . . I think we should start by asking Onee-chan for ideas. Of us all, I think she knows Azusa-chan the best."

"Yui," Ritsu echoed. She took a deep breath, adjusting her headband. "Eh, what the hell, why not? I feel like I'm running out of good ideas, and that scares me. Let's go with yours."

* * *

><p>Azusa emerged from the gray twilight of sleep to see Yui's face looming large over hers. Her heart leapt into her throat, just barely choking back a scream as Yui, the living, non-zombified, Yui, swam into focus.<p>

"Y . . . Y . . . Yui-senpai! Don't scare me like that!"

"Awww, my Azu-nyan finds me scary?" Yui replied. "I'm gonna have to fix that."

Azusa scrunched up her face. "Please don't," she said, frowning. "You didn't draw anything on my face, did you?" Suddenly, she was aware that Yui was wreathed in light. She pushed Yui to one side, sitting up straight.

"It's daylight! Why didn't anyone wake me?"

"We're just taking some extra time to get ready, Azusa-chan," Mugi replied, entering the room. "I have tea ready, if you want some."

"It's awesome, you should have some, Azu-nyan."

"How can you think about . . . never mind," Azusa said, rubbing her eyes. She reached into her pocket, grabbing at her phone. She stared into the black screen, gazing at her reflection. There was nothing drawn on her face, but . . .

_Snap._

Azusa flipped her phone shut and shoved it back into her pocket, pushing herself to her feet.

"Where's Ui and Ritsu-senpai?"

"They went to check things out downstairs," Mugi replied. Azusa saw a shape behind the blonde, in the corner.

"Mio-senpai?"

Mio was leaning against the wall, pale and silent.

"I'm good. I'm good. I'm good," she murmured. "I can do this . . . I can do this . . . "

"Good morning, Azusa-chan!" Ui said, waving from the darkened doorway. Behind her, Ritsu lurked, looking down at the ground. Azusa swallowed, seeing the glint of steel in Ritsu's hands.

"What time is it," Azusa asked.

"It's almost eleven," Ui replied.

"Eleven! You . . . you let me sleep that long?"

"We had time to kill," Ritsu replied. "Have a look out the window. _Carefully._"

Images of her friends as zombies briefly flashed through Azusa's mind, and she shivered. She shook them off, walking toward the balcony. She gasped when she got close enough.

"Where did they all come from!"

"They just kinda shuffled in," Ritsu replied, shrugging. "Guess we should be lucky they weren't here last night."

Azusa felt her pulse quicken. She swallowed, her mind spinning.

"They . . . they . . . they're going to find us!"

Mio wrapped her arms around herself, trying to push herself further into the wall.

"Yeah," Ritsu replied. "We got the bottom of the stairs barricaded, but that's not gonna stop them."

"What are we going to do?" Azusa said, though she knew what the answer was going to be. It was a numbing realization.

_Click. Click. Click._

Mugi was loading more shells into her shotgun. Mio pushed herself off the wall, shaking her head violently, reaching for the pistol at her hip.

_Crack-Clack!_

She racked the slide, staring at the pistol, as if she still couldn't believe what she was doing. Ritsu stepped into the apartment, right up to Azusa. She raised her hand, offering Azusa a revolver, butt-first.

"We're gonna have to shoot our way out," Ritsu said, her golden-brown eyes boring into Azusa's.

_Thunk!_

Yui jammed a magazine into her SMG. Somehow, she'd shouldered Gitah without Azusa noticing.

_Behind her, she heard grunts and screams . . . zombies chasing her. She could hear their footfalls. She could smell their acrid, unwashed, stink . . . _

"I know it's gonna draw their attention, but Ui thinks we can cut through most of town and give 'em the slip." Ritsu continued, trying to sound brave, but Azusa could hear the quaver in her voice.

_"Help me, please!"_

_"Anyone!"_

Azusa looked down at the offered gun. It looked so small.

"This is crazy," she started to say.

_But I don't wanna die alone._

"This is crazy," she murmured, reaching for the revolver. It felt warm in her hand. Warm from Ritsu's heat . . . warm like Yui.

_I also have to keep my eye on them…_

"But when is it ever _not_ crazy for us?"

The others looked at her.

Azusa exhaled explosively. "Let's go already, Ritsu-senpai." Ritsu stared at her, her mouth agape. Her lips snapped shut, and she drew her second revolver from the pocket of her jacket.

"You heard her, guys, let's go!"

* * *

><p>The walking dead staggered across barren pavement, muttering softly, and groaning occasionally. Their mouths were crusted with dried blood and vomit, and their clothes were stained and torn. They shuffled aimlessly, stumbling, and bumping into things. Occasionally one would stop, hunch over, and vomit black blood.<p>

_Crash!_

A hastily barricaded door was kicked open. A zombie woman, dressed in a bright green shirt, looked up and hissed.

_BOOM!_

The zombie's face disintegrated, taking Mugi's shotgun full-bore.

_Bam! Bam!_

Another zombie sprawled, felled by Ritsu's dual-wielded revolvers.

A zombie lunged at Mio, her mouth opening impossibly wide. Mio screamed, thrusting her pistol out in front of her.

_Crack! Crack! Crack!_

The zombie stumbled, and a dark stain spread from her chest.

_Bam!_

The zombie sprawled limply, with a hole between her eyes. Behind Mio, Azusa crouched, clutching her smoking revolver with a white-knuckled grip.

Other zombies turned, hissing, spitting, and growling. Behind them, the walking dead lurched across the street leaned against abandoned cars and street signs. Behind them, still more of the inhuman infected heard the growing commotion and began to stir from their miserable torpor.

It was going to be a long dash to safety . . . .

* * *

><p><strong>Notes:<br>**- I present to you the latest chapter of _Left 4 Moe_! It was supposed to be done in time for Halloween. It was supposed to be done a lot sooner than that but … other concerns have been eating up my time. Like work.  
>- <em>I'm curious!<em> The rough translation of "watashi kininarimasu!" If you get the reference, you may nod knowingly. If not. I'll explain it in the footnotes for the next chapter.  
>- That really is the "Taank" theme playing on Nao's laptop.<br>- Ritsu's dreams are totally in compliance with K-On! canon! Well, mostly…  
>- Also the first time anyone in-story refers to a Tank as such. <p>


	11. Chapter 10

_**Author's Notes:**_

- From the last chapter . . . _"watashi kininanimasu"_ is a reference to _Hyouka_, where Ritsu's VA, Satomi Sato, plays Eru Chitanda, the female lead. Hmm, wonder how the _Hyouka_ gang would fare in a zombie apocalypse . . .  
>- Nah, the zombie apocalypse genre has been just about beaten to death…<br>- See what I did there?  
>- Of corpse you did.<br>- Why are the Author's Notes at the start of the chapter?  
>- All I'll say is that the next chapter will be out in ten days or less. Stay tuned…<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Dead Rising:<br>**_And there's no way out but one._

"Oh God, oh God, oh God! Keep running!"

Gunfire crackled through the heavy air, and zombies stumbled and fell.

"R . . . Ri . . . Riii-chan! Not so fast!" Yui gasped.

"I've got you Onee-chan! Azusa-chan! Take this, please!" Ui pleaded, bodily lifting Yui off her knees, just before tossing her gun at Azusa.

"R . . . right!" Azusa squeaked, managing to catch the gun. Her eyes darted back and forth. Zombies to the left. Zombies to the right, and zombies right behind them. She dropped the fire axe she'd found, shooting past the Hirasawa sisters.

_Why am I doing this?_ A little voice in her head screamed. A zombie lunged for Yui.

_BAM!_

The zombie spun, knocking several others over.

"Because I'll die if I don't!" Azusa gasped.

"What was that!" Ritsu shouted.

"Nothing, Ritsu-senpai . . . _look out!_ "

From the left! A hooded figure screamed, leaping at Ritsu, knocking her off her feet. Both she, and the zombie, tumbled to the ground.

"Ricchan!" Mugi shouted, spinning on her feet, her shotgun coming up . . .

_BOOM!_

The leaper sprawled to the street.

_BAM! BAM! BAM!_

Somehow, Ritsu reached her guns, and she fired at the tightening knot of zombies surrounding her.

"Someone help me up!"

"C'mon, Ricchan, let's go," Mugi said, yanking Ritsu to her feet.

_BAM!_

_Click!_

Azusa was out of bullets. Again. Suddenly, that fire axe looked so very far away.

"B . . . big warehouse to the right!" Mio screamed. Azusa's head snapped up, and she saw a big gray steel building. Cars barricaded the entrance to the parking lot, but the turquoise fence that surrounded it didn't look so high. Especially the part where someone had rammed the fence with his car, knocking it over. Dead zombies were strewn around the car.

"Everyone over the fence!" Ritsu shouted.

"Hurry! Behind me," Mugi said. Azusa nodded jerkily, looking back behind her. Ui and Yui were running as fast as they could, Yui's arms draped over Ui's shoulders.

"Yui-senpai!" Azusa shouted, turning away from the fence, running to Ui and Yui. Together, her and Ui managed to haul Yui to the wrecked car, where Mio helped her scramble over it. Behind them, gunfire echoed in the streets as Mugi and Ritsu did their best to hold back the zombies.

"We're not standing here all damned day," Ritsu snapped. "Let's go!"

Somehow, Azusa found herself scrambling over the car, tumbling into the parking lot. Bodies and blood were scattered up to a hastily constructed barricade of wooden pallets stretched across the opening of the warehouse.

"No . . . nononono! Onee-chaaaan!" Ui screamed. Azusa pushed herself to her feet, seeing Yui being dragged away by a writhing, dark _thing._

"Smoker!" Yui shouted. "Uiiii! Azu-nyaaaan!"

Azusa's eyes darted . . . _there_ . . . one of the bodies! She lunged, falling painfully to her knees, before coming up with a large, bloodied wrench. She scrambled toward the struggling Yui, seeing the tall silhouette of the smoker atop the warehouse.

"Let go!" She brought the wrench down as hard as she could on that grotesque tongue.

"Let go! Let go! Let go!" Her arms felt like lead, but she swung that wrench over and over, splashing herself with blood and saliva.

Something hot and wet whipped her across the face, knocking her off her feet. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that tongue flying up to its owner. Yui was free.

"Under the awning!" Ritsu shouted, leaping off the roof of the car. "That tongue guy can't get us there!"

"What about the others!" Mio squeaked.

"Keep shooting at them!"

"Azusa-chan," Ui said. "I need my gun back. Stay with Onee-chan, please!"

Azusa nodded jerkily. "Right," she said, as Ui snatched the revolver with one hand, reaching into her pocket with the other.

"That was totally cool how you saved me, Azu-nyan!" Yui said.

Azusa's cheeks warmed, even with the sounds of screaming zombies and gunfire around her. She exhaled sharply.

"Y . . . y . . . you need to be more careful, Yui-senpai!"

The gunfire stopped.

Ritsu turned back toward Azusa and Yui. "Looks like we're out of zombies, for the moment. How're we doing for bullets?"

"I . . . I'm out," Azusa replied. Yui said nothing; they all knew she was out.

"I . . . not many," Mio replied, her voice small.

"I've got . . . enough," Mugi replied, looking down at her shotgun. "But . . . not if we keep getting into firefights."

"Point well-taken, Tsumugi-san," Ritsu said. "Ui, you said we could give 'em the slip and get to the tracks. I . . . think . . . we're clear, so where do we go to get to the tracks."

"I'd have to look at my map," Ui replied. "Did anyone catch what warehouse this is?"

"Daiwa Rakuda," Mio said. "Printed in English."

"Why English?" Ritsu said, frowning. She slapped her palm into her face. "Not important . . . is that enough to tell you where we're at, Ui?"

"Mhm," Ui replied. "We're actually where we need to be. There should be a little road that cuts across the vacant farmland. We can get to the railroad without having to cross the canal."

"No narrow bridges, I like that," Ritsu said. "I think we should have a look inside the warehouse. I notice nothing's come out to get us while we've all been sitting here."

"It . . . it's dark in there," Mio said, casting glances toward the barricaded entryway.

"It's a little too late to be afraid of the dark, Akiyama-san," Ritsu replied. "If we're lucky, the local cops, or maybe some military, might've holed up here and we can get some ammo."

"And food. Maybe they had food," Yui said. Azusa fought the urge to roll her eyes. Yui Hirasawa was a woman who thought with her stomach first.

"Maybe," Ritsu replied. "Let's not count on that, though. Alright, guys, let's find out why nobody's come out to say hi."

* * *

><p>The inside of the warehouse was trashed. Pallets and boxes and other material were scattered everywhere. It wasn't really that dark, not with the open garage door on one side, and the enormous hole that was punched into the wall on the right. Among the boxes, lay broken and twisted bodies and macabre spatters and pools of blood. A forklift was jammed into one wall, with a mammoth zombie skewered with its blades.<p>

"One of those goddamned things got Sumire," Ritsu muttered.

"Who's Sumire," Azusa asked, immediately feeling stupid. She'd heard the story when they were still in the back of that military truck. Ritsu glared at her.

"If you don't know by now, don't ask again," she said. Azusa felt herself shrink away from the cold, flat tone Ritsu had used.

"So one of those got Nodoka-chan too," Yui said.

"She took it with her," Mugi replied, her tone subdued.

"Tank's dead, let's stop talking about it now and look for supplies, 'kay?" Ritsu said, stepping between them and tilting her head. Her tone was a strained sort of cheery, and seemed just as fake as the smile pasted to her lips.

"I don't think we're going to find any guns here," Ui said, looking around. "Everyone I see looks like they picked up whatever they could find to defend themselves with."

Part of Azusa sighed with relief. Part of her began to get nervous. She'd felt a certain . . . something . . . when she had to use that fire axe to fend off those zombies. Something she wasn't sure she liked.

"Well, guess we're gonna have to make do with hand-me-downs then," Ritsu said. "Where are the cops? Wonder why we haven't seen any here?" She mused, bending down to pick up a length of iron pipe.

"Maybe we'd have seen them if we went through town," Mio replied. She looked down at one of the bodies and shivered. "D . . . does . . . does anyone want a cr . . . cricket bat?"

"It's all yours, Mio," Ritsu replied.

"But it's covered in b . . . blood!"

"Well, just think of it as already broken-in . . . look, we'll look for something to wipe it down if it bothers you that much."

Yui leaned forward. "Mio-chan's afraid of blood?"

Mio paled, but then she crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't care about that! I mean it's . . . it's not inf . . . zombie blood that bothers me!"

Azusa looked thoughtful. Wouldn't zombie blood be the thing one _should_ be the most worried about? Then she remembered the splattering of that smoker's blood as she beat its tongue and . . .

"Azu-nyan? Are you all right? You don't look so good, mmph!" Yui turned to throw her arms around Azusa, who threw up a hand. She felt Yui's warm lips on her palm.

"Sorry!" Azusa said, snatching her hand away. "I . . . I . . . I'm fine! Really!"

"These vending machines aren't any good," Mugi said. Ritsu walked up to her side and whistled.

"They're not only no good, they're totally trashed!"

"Aww, no food?" Yui said. Ritsu shook her head.

"Afraid not. And I think we left all the stores behind, so unless anyone here wants to go searching house-to-house, the only food we got is whatever's in our packs."

"There might be something good in one of the houses," Yui mused.

"No!" Mio said. "I don't wanna do that again!"

_. . . She heard something shuffle in the dark. Azusa frantically looked around, feeling the zombies pounding at the door behind her, and hearing the shuffling in the darkness in front of her . . . _

"I . . . I don't wanna do it either!" Azusa added. Dimly, she realized she was waving her wrench for emphasis.

"Hey, I'm on your side," Ritsu said, spreading out her hands. "I don't wanna do any breaking-and-entering right now either . . . breaking into dark, zombie-filled, houses without guns . . . not a good idea."

"We should make the rail line before dark," Ui said. "There might be a train that we spend the night in."

"I think, when we were on the bridge, that I remember thinking that the railroad tracks were on high ground," Mugi added. "It'd be safer higher up."

"Yeah," Azusa replied, nodding. At least high up, you could see them coming.

"I remember that too, Mugi-chan," Ui said.

"I'm still hungry," Yui murmured, looking dejected.

"Onee-chan," Ui replied. "I'm sure there'll be lots of things to eat when we get to that military center."

"I guess I can wait, but you'd better be right."

"Yui," Ritsu said. "We're _all_ a little hungry right now, but hey, look at it this way . . . killer weight-loss tool, right?"

"I don't have that problem," Yui replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, I've noticed that _some_ of us are looking a little thicker in the waist . . . right . . . Mio?"

Mio's overhand strike landed with characteristic swiftness.

"Ritsu! You take that back! Wh . . wh . . why I think you've gained a little weight with all this time away from the drums!"

"Guys," Azusa started to say, her eyes shifting back and forth between Mio and Ritsu. "L . . . l . . . let's calm down, okay? Y . . . you both look just fine!"

"Just? Fine?" Ritsu replied, her eyes skewering Azusa's in a basilisk stare. "Just . . . _fine_? You know how hard it is to look this good in the middle of the freakin' zombie apocalypse?"

"I . . . " Azusa's heart was racing. "I . . . "

"What about me, Azu-nyan?" Yui said, putting a leg forward. "All this running . . . my legs have never felt better."

Azusa swallowed hard. Suddenly, Ritsu threw an arm around her shoulder, and draped the other over Mio's.

"It's cool," she heard Ritsu say. "I was just playin' around."

Azusa shrugged the arm off. "I knew it," she said, biting her lip. "Why?"

"Sometimes it just happens, Azusa," Ritsu replied. "And . . . and sometimes we could all use a little laughter."

Azusa spun back on Ritsu. "At a time like this?" She felt herself gritting her teeth. How was it that Ritsu, the least responsible of her senpais, was in charge? The thought was so alien that she took a step back, her jaws suddenly slack.

Ritsu sighed. "Azusa-chan. If you can't laugh at a time like this, when can you?"

"She's right, Azusa," Mio added. "Even if she _does_ overdo it sometimes."

"Mio-chaaaan," Ritsu squeaked. Azusa looked at her and Mio, her flash of anger replaced with a certain sense of envy . . . that Ritsu-senpai could still find something to laugh about . . . something that Azusa was finding so very hard to do. She turned and looked out toward the barricaded entryway. The sunlight seemed just a little more golden. The shadows looked that much longer.

"It . . . it's getting late," she said. "We should get going now, right?" Behind her, she heard Ritsu shuffle her feet.

"Yeah," Ritsu said, muted. "I . . . I guess you're right." She stepped around Azusa, headed toward the entryway.

"All right, kids," she said. "Let's get out of here. Those tracks are still a long ways away."

* * *

><p><em>"Please don't take this the wrong way, Azusa-chan, but you've been rude lately,"<em> Ui's voice echoed in Azusa's head.

_" . . . we could all use a little laughter."_ Ritsu's voice chimed in.

_The whole _raison d'etre _of the Light Music Club was laughter, and craziness._

_No! It should be music, and nobody but me ever really takes it seriously._

_Well . . . when we __**do**__ come together, I feel like we could stand toe-to-toe with any rock act I can think of._

_But all the pranks. And the puns. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it!_

_Do I really? _

_No._

_I miss it. _

_I miss all of it! My personalized teacup. Being with my senpais without a care in the world . . . even Miss Yamanaka and her creepy costume fetish._

_But getting them to actually practice is Herculean! Especially Yui-senpai and Ritsu-senpai!_

_It feels pretty good when I get them to practice though._

_Oh my God, I'm missing all of it! And we're never going to be a Light Music Club again! Only Yui-senpai has Gitah . . . why didn't the rest of us think of taking our instruments?_

_It'd have been stupid, because of all the sick people the . . . zombies._

_Yui-senpai looks like she's doing just fine, though._

_But that's Yui-senpai._

_Maybe I should be more like Yui-senpai . . . I've never seen a situation where she couldn't just roll with it._

_I must be going crazy. Yui-senpai is . . . is . . ._

_What's wrong with me? Why am I thinking about things like this? I'm the responsible one!_

_I'm . . ._

_I've . . ._

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry!" Azusa blurted. The others stopped, turning back to look at her.<p>

"Azu . . . nyan?"

"Sorry?" Ritsu frowned. "For what?"

"Azusa-chan? Are you okay?" Mugi said, lowering her shotgun.

"I mean . . . I . . . " Azusa started to say. "I should . . . we should . . . "

"Someone got my kitty's tongue?" Yui asked, advancing on her.

"No!" Azusa replied, shaking her head violently. "It's . . . it's nothing! I mean, I don't think I've been myself lately, and I'm sorry."

"Azu-nyan!" Yui's arms were wrapped around Azusa in an instant. "I knew my kitty'd come around!"

"Yui-senpai!"

Ritsu looked Azusa over, and then rubbed the back of her head. "Well . . . I guess it's to be expected, given what we've all been through so far."

As Azusa tried to disentangle herself from Yui, she noticed that Ritsu's eyes still seemed sad . . . guarded, even.

"Guys, look!" Mio said. "Past that junkyard!"

Azusa swallowed her thoughts, trying to peer through the rusted, twisted steel.

"It's blue!" Yui said.

"Blue?" Azusa echoed, and then it hit her. "Like a rail bridge?"

"I see it too!" Ritsu said. "It's a rail bridge! We're almost there, guys!"

"Shh!" Ui said, waving a golf club. "There are infected in that junkyard."

Mio's smile died as she brushed her hair aside and looked closer.

"It's . . . it's okay," Ritsu said. "We can do this . . . look, the fields run right up to the tracks. We just have to go around the junkyard and those houses."

"As long as we're quiet," Azusa murmured.

"Yes," Ritsu replied. "And we'll do this without guns."

Azusa nodded, lifting her pipe wrench. She could do this.

"Up close," Mio muttered.

"As long as they don't notice us, we won't have to get up close to them, Mio-senpai," Azusa said. Mio looked at her for a few moments, and then smiled wanly.

"You're right, Azusa-chan," she said, trying her best to sound brave.

"And if they do get too close, I'll be right beside you," Mugi said.

"So will I," Ritsu said, taking a deep breath. "Okay, kids, let's get to those tracks."

The girls nodded to each other, and then they set off, through the dry soil and dead stalks. Azusa found herself edging close to Yui. As close as she could.

"We must be quiet, Azu-nyan," Yui said, glancing behind her back. "Very, very quiet."

"I . . . I know how to be quiet," Azusa replied, feeling her cheeks start to flush. "I'm keeping my eye on _you_, though."

"Shh, both of you," Ritsu whispered harshly. Everyone froze as a couple zombies looked in their direction. Azusa bit her lip hard enough to taste blood, clutching her wrench. The zombies began staggering toward the girls. Suddenly, one bumped into the other. Both spun to face the other, beginning to swing at each other with their fists. The girls could just barely hear the sound of fists impacting on meaty flesh.

One of the zombies staggered back, crumpling to the ground in a bloodied heap. The other stood unsteadily, before sinking to its knees, vomiting.

Yui gasped, and Azusa jumped, clamping her hand over Yui's mouth.

The only sound to be heard was the faint groaning of the infected. Carefully, Azusa removed her hand from Yui's mouth.

"Azu-nyan!" Yui whispered. "I was trying to breathe! I held my breath while they were fighting."

"Sorry!" Azusa squeaked, turning away from Yui, her face burning.

"Let's . . . let's just keep moving," Mio said, her eyes fixed on the zombies.

* * *

><p>Azusa felt herself start to relax, as they put the houses between themselves and the junkyard. The embankment leading to the tracks loomed large before them, in its dirty, grassy, magnificence.<p>

"That's . . . that's pretty tall, isn't it," Mio was the first to speak.

"It's not that bad . . . Heartbreak Hill was worse, I'm sure," Ui replied. The girls shivered, remembering the school's annual run from earlier in the year. Azusa shut her eyes at the memory, her chest starting to ache. She blinked furiously, fighting the urge to vigorously shake her head.

"What'd be even worse is if the zombies spotted us before we were on top," Ritsu said, gesturing toward the embankment. "Let's go!"

She began scrambling up the loose soil, Mio and Mugi hot on her heels. Azusa nodded silently, turning back to Yui and Ui.

"Let's go, Yui-senpai."

"Mhmm!" Yui replied with a sharp nod. Azusa began climbing the embankment, struggling to keep her heavy wrench in one hand every time she had to press a hand into the rocky dirt. She blinked back tears, breathing deeply. There was a sudden, sickening sensation of _falling_!

A warm hand pressed firmly into the small of her back, and her backward motion was checked in an instant. Instead, she fell back against the embankment, her bloodied knuckles protesting.

"I got you, Azu-nyan. You nearly fell."

"Th . . . thanks, Yui-senpai," Azusa replied, pushing herself to her feet. It wasn't much further to the top. Just a little closer. Just a few more steps . . .

"You've _got_ to be kidding me!" Ritsu said from somewhere over the top. Azusa gasped, looking behind her. She had a good view down into the street. The street where several zombies looked up, directly at her. She lunged, scrambling for traction against loose rock and dirt. She slipped and fell again, cutting her hands on the gravel at the top of the embankment.

"Ritsu-senpai!" she gasped, pushing herself to her feet. "They heard you!"

"Azusa-chan," Mugi said, touching her fingertip to her lips. Azusa's mouth snapped shut, when she noticed that Mugi was gesturing further down the tracks . . . no, not quite down the tracks . . . _past_ them.

Azusa followed Mugi's shotgun, looking into the afternoon sun. Sprawling buildings ringed a vast parking lot. One filled with tents. Tents, and multitudes of shuffling, staggering shapes.

_Crack!_

Azusa turned around. Yui and Ui had made it to the tracks too, and she saw Ui in full backswing, a zombie already falling back over the edge of the embankment.

"H . . . h . . . here they come!" She gasped, lifting her wrench. Two crawled over the edge, glaring up at her with yellow eyes.

_Crack!_

Ui's club came down viciously over the head of one, sending it crashing down. The other was scrambling to his feet, lunging at Yui.

"No!" Azusa yelled, throwing herself forward, striking out with her wrench. She felt it impact against soft flesh, and she swung again, and again, opening her eyes to see the zombie collapsing . . . and several others starting the climb up the embankment.

_Thud! Crack!_

Behind her! She heard the butt of Mugi's shotgun clubbing a zombie in the head.

"Let's everybody move away from that mall," Ritsu said, swinging wildly at another zombie. "I don't want all _them_ chasing us!"

"R . . . right," Azusa replied, kicking gravel into the face of a zombie."

_Ping!_

Yui brought a baseball bat down on its skull.

_Crack! Crack! Crack!_

Ui viciously laid into yet another zombie, sprawling it across the railroad tracks. She jumped over its body, with Yui and Azusa following. Behind them, were the frantic footfalls of the others, running down the tracks.

"Yui-san, it's not funny," Ritsu said behind them. Azusa stopped, turning around.

"I wasn't laughing," Yui replied, pursing her lips together.

"She wasn't," Ui said, falling silent.

But someone _was._ Giggling in a not-entirely-there way. Somewhere below the edge of the embankment. Along with more scrambling.

"I . . . I don't like that laughter," Mio said, backing down the railroad tracks.

"Keep moving," Ritsu said. "Whatever it is, we'll get it when it gets to the tracks."

"Here they come!" Ui said, as a couple zombies scrambled to the top of the embankment ahead of them. Mio spun as one lurched toward her. She swung blindly with her cricket-bat, knocking the zombie off balance.

"I got it, Mio-chan," Mugi said, kicking the zombie back, lifting her shotgun high overhead.

_Crunch!_

She buried the butt of her gun in shattered ruin of the zombie's face. Just as yet another one fell to Ui's short, vicious, swings. There was sudden motion out of the corner of Azusa's eye, and her head whipped to face the source.

It was just a couple more zombies, coming for them . . . only one caught Azusa's eye. One that was hunched over, wearing a torn, bloodstained _Hayata no Gotoku_ t-shirt and gym-shorts. The zombie giggled, crouch-walking toward them.

"What the," Ritsu said, raising her nightstick, backing toward Ui and Yui.

The zombie leaped.

Ritsu screamed.

Azusa froze.

The zombie wrapped his legs around Ritsu's neck, cackling as he clawed and pulled at Ritsu's hair. Her headband flew off, sailing over Azusa's head. Ritsu stumbled forward, the zombie riding her kicking her in the gut with bare, filthy, feet.

Ui screamed, as Ritsu ran headlong into her, knocking her back. She stumbled, and slipped, falling over the edge.

"Uiiii!" Yui screamed, jumping after her sister.

"Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!" Ritsu screamed, clutching at the zombie with her hands, desperately pulling, clawing, and pounding at it. Each effort only caused the zombie's glee to increase, his laughter to get louder, and his kicks to get harder.

Azusa was numb with horror, her body refusing to follow her orders. Refusing to move.

_Ritsu-senpai!_ Azusa thought desperately. _Yui-senpai . . . why can't I move!_

Ritsu's blonde-brown hair was coming out in bloody clumps. Rivulets of blood streamed down her forehead. She stumbled toward the edge of the embankment. Mugi and Mio both lunged for her as she staggered ever closer, stumbling over the railroad tracks.

"Shoot it! Shoot it! Shoot it!" Mio cried.

"I can't!" Mugi shouted, her face pale. "I'll hit Ricchan if I do!"

Azusa felt herself starting to move at last. Her legs starting to carry her toward where she saw Yui and Ui fall over the edge. She stumbled, trying to turn for Ritsu.

It was too late. Ritsu's legs gave out from under her, and she went over, disappearing from view.

"Ritsu!" Mugi, Mio, and Azusa gasped, as one; dashing for the edge. Azusa saw Ritsu and her attacker tumbling down the side of the embankment, coming to rest amidst a small cloud of dust. The zombie tumbled free of Ritsu, perversely rolling to his feet, looking up at them, grinning with bloodstained teeth. The giggling abomination began to climb back up the embankment, evil eyes locking on Azusa's.

_BOOM!_

The zombie giggled, his tattered shirt becoming a blood-soaked ruin.

_BOOM!_

The zombie's grin became lopsided, half of it a fleshy ruin. It scrambled faster, closer and closer.

_BOOM! Crunch!_

The zombie fell face-first into the rocky soil, thrashed, and then was still.

"Ritsu!" Mio screamed, leaping down the hill.

"Ritsu!"

Ritsu hadn't moved from where she was. Ritsu was very, very still.

"Ritsu!" Mio's scream was raw, cutting Azusa to the core of her soul, as she and Mugi struggled down the hillside. Mio dropped to her knees, at Ritsu's side.

"Ritsu!" Trembling hands shook and pushed Ritsu.

"There's so much blood. Oh my God, there's so much blood . . . There's so much blood, there's so much blood, there's so much blood . . . "


	12. Chapter 11

**Dead Reckoning**:  
><em>The only course out is straight through Hell.<em>

A yellow headband.

A crumpled, dirty, bloodstained yellow headband.

Azusa turned it over, and over, in her hands.

It had once belonged to one Ritsu Tainaka. She wore it daily, even after the world came to an end. It made her instantly, unmistakably, identifiable. It would do so no more.

Azusa's eyes squeezed shut, on their own accord, and the images seared onto her brain tormented her once more.

"Azusa-chan?" The touch on her shoulder made Azusa jump.

"Y . . . y . . . yes, Mugi-senpai!"

"Are you okay?"

"Yes," Azusa nodded jerkily, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt. "I . . . I'm okay . . . really."

The blonde girl regarded her with sad, blue, eyes.

"Are you sure?"

Azusa nodded again, not saying anything. What could she say?

"We . . . we should keep moving then," Mugi finally said, turning away. Azusa nodded again, putting the headband back into her backpack. She forced herself to her feet, and reached for one revolver, and then another; just like she'd seen Ritsu do so many times.

"Let's get going, Mugi-senpai," she said. It was the blonde's turn to nod silently as the two resumed their trek down the railroad tracks.

* * *

><p><strong><em>. . . Earlier . . .<em>**

"There's so much blood. Oh my God, there's so much blood . . . There's so much blood, there's so much blood, there's so much blood," Mio screamed, shaking Ritsu. "Ritsu! Ritsuuu! Someone help me!"

Azusa skidded down those last few meters of embankment, hearing Mio's anguished wails. Mugi was right behind her.

"Mio-senpai!" Azusa shouted, looking down at Ritsu. Her hair was soaked with blood.

"Azusa! Mugi!" Mio shrieked. "You have to help me! Mugi! You can carry Ritsu, right?" Wet gray eyes locked onto blue eyes, and the blue eyes looked away.

"Mio I . . . I can't," Mugi replied.

"What do you mean you can't!" Mio screamed. Azusa's head turned sharply, and she looked at her blonde senpai.

"Mio, she's . . . she's . . . I can't," Mugi struggled for words. "I need my hands free," the words came out in a jumble, as she gamely lifted her shotgun. "They're coming! Do you understand!"

"Azusa," Mio turned to her. "You . . . you'll help, right? You . . . you'll help Ritsu, right?"

"Mio-senpai," Azusa started, looking from Mugi to Mio to Ritsu. She looked so pale; her hair caked with blood and mud.

"Help me now!" Mio screamed. "I'm not leaving her here!"

Lightning-fast, Mio's hand shot out, clutching at Azusa's wrist, and she found herself held fast. Mio's grip was vise-like, her hand covered in blood.

"Help me! Help Ritsu!"

* * *

><p><strong><em>. . . Now . . .<em>**

Azusa holstered one of her guns, rubbing her wrist. It was already red where she'd been rubbing it. Like Ritsu's blood were still on her skin. Like Mio was still clutching her for all she was worth.

"Mugi-senpai?"

Mugi stopped, slowly turning back to look at Azusa. "Yes, Azusa-chan?"

Azusa took a deep breath. "Why . . . why didn't you really want to help carry Ritsu-senpai?"

"Azusa-chan," Mugi said. "I . . . don't understand." She fell silent for a moment. "I . . . could either protect everyone who was left, or I could carry her. I . . . couldn't do both."

"We . . . we could've watched out for ourselves!" Azusa protested. "You . . . you're the strongest of all of us, it . . . it would've been easy for you."

"Azusa-chan," Mugi said, and Azusa stopped in mid-breath. Mugi's tone was cold. So very, very cold. "I've always done what I thought was best for _everyone._ Yui's guitar . . . those training camps, that we had. I did what I did because I want to see my friends succeed. What happened back there . . . it's the same thing," Mugi's eyes bored deep into Azusa's, her expression daring Azusa to say more.

"I see," Azusa replied. Right now, she wasn't willing to argue the point.

"Thank you, Azusa-chan," Mugi said, after a several tense moments.

It was a while before either girl spoke again. Azusa drew her other gun, looking around.

"Mugi-senpai? Are you seeing what I'm seeing? That looks like a school ahead."

"It does," Mugi replied, staring out ahead into the approaching twilight. "And on the other side of the tracks, I think I'm seeing a temple."

"Th . . . then this must be the place Ui told us about."

"I agree," Mugi replied. "Sakuragaoka was a military evacuation center, so maybe that school was too."

"Yeah," Azusa said. "I just hope it's in better shape than the others."

* * *

><p><strong><em>. . . Earlier . . .<em>**

Azusa's heart thundered and she gasped for air, struggling under dead weight, fighting against the loose soil and the steep slope.

"Ritsu, say something please," Mio moaned repeatedly. She had Ritsu's arm over her shoulder, but it was Azusa struggling under Ritsu's weight.

_Almost there!_ Azusa thought, looking up.

"Azu-nyan!" Yui shouted, looking over the edge. At her side Ui popped up, looking no worse for wear. Suddenly, the color went out of Yui's face.

"Squad-member Ricchan!" Yui said, starting to scramble over the edge. "Azu-nyan . . . Mio-chan, you look like you need help!"

"Yes," Azusa snapped. "Hurry, Yui-senpai! She isn't getting any lighter!"

Suddenly, Yui was in Azusa's face, and the weight was lifted from her shoulders. "I . . . I've got her, Azu-nyan!" Yui said, and Azusa heard something she'd never thought she'd ever hear. Yui trying to sound brave.

"U . . . Ui," Azusa called up to Ui. "Where's the evacuation center!"

Ui suddenly looked away.

"Ui?"

Ui looked back toward them. "I . . . I'm sorry, but I think that mall back there was it. I . . . I read the sign wrong."

Azusa had a sudden mental image of a parking lot filled with shambling, stumbling shapes.

"G . . . guess we're not going there," she said, taking a deep breath, immediately wanting to retch as she breathed in a full measure of the sharp, metallic, stink of blood. She thrust herself under Mio's free arm as the older girl started to stagger, threatening to pull down Yui and Ritsu with her. Mio said nothing, her body shaking with quiet sobs.

And then they were back on level ground.

"Yui-senpai! Mio-senpai! Help me put Ritsu down," Azusa said.

"No!" Mio shrieked. "We have to get Ritsu to safety!

"Mugi-senpai," Azusa yelled to Mugi, who was already atop the embankment. "Please help me?"

Mugi looked back at Azusa, her expression unreadable, but she slung her shotgun over her shoulder, hurrying to their side.

"Mugi! What are you doing!" Mio gasped, as Mugi's arms wrapped around her.

"Something for your own good," Mugi replied, hauling back. At once, Mio lost her grip on Ritsu, but Azusa and Ui were already there to catch her. With Yui, they lowered Ritsu to the gravel.

"Ui . . . " Azusa said, as Ui was already looking Ritsu over.

"Just a sec," Ui replied, her voice thick. "Let me look her over."

"Ricchan," Yui echoed, her voice unusually subdued.

"She's barely breathing. And she's bleeding badly," Ui pronounced. Mio wailed in Mugi's arms.

"What do we do, Ui?" Yui said, immediately draping an arm around Azusa's shoulder. She was too tired to fight off the contact.

"She's bleeding all over her head, Onee-chan. "I . . . I . . . I can't tell any more than that. I need to clean it all up, or she'll get infected for sure."

"Ui," Mugi said. "In Mio's pack, there should be several bottles of vodka. Will . . . that help?"

Ui nodded quickly. "Onee-chan . . . could you help Mio-chan?"

"Mugi-senpai, can you get Mio-senpai's pack off?" Azusa said, pushing herself to her feet. Mugi nodded silently, and Mio sank to her knees, her arms sliding out of her backpack.

"Don't worry, Mio-chan, we're helping Ricchan right now," Yui said, draping herself around Mio.

Azusa stumbled over to Mio's side. Briefly, her eyes met Mugi's, and again, the older girl looked away. Azusa picked up Mio's pack, marveling at how heavy it felt. As she turned, she noticed something on the gravel.

Ritsu's headband.

Crumpled, dirty, and bloodstained. Lying where the insane, laughing, zombie had thrown it.

Suddenly, Azusa felt compelled to scoop it up, and she clutched it tightly in her hand as she dashed back to Ritsu's side. 

* * *

><p><strong><em>. . . Now . . .<em>**

_Crack!_

_Crack!_

_CRASH!_

The wood barring the door gave way in a shower of splinters, and the double doors flew open, knocking back a pair of zombies. Both zombies snarled, their eyes glowing in the light of the flashlight taped to the barrel of Mugi's shotgun.

_BOOM!_

One zombie staggered back, clutching its ruined face. Mugi's shotgun spoke once more, and it was on the ground, twitching.

_Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!_

The other zombie crumpled into a bloodied heap.

"You're getting much better at that, Azusa-chan," Mugi said.

"Th . . . thanks," Azusa replied, weakly. Her wrists stung . . . how did Ritsu make dual wielding look so easy?

"Hreeee!"

_BOOM!_

_Bam! Bam!_

"I . . . don't think anyone made it," Azusa said. The halls of the school were, like Sakuragaoka before it, painted in blood. Dead-eyed zombies were sprawled on the floors, their eyes still shining yellow in their flashlights.

"We . . . should we be here?" Mugi whispered. "It doesn't look like anybody made it to me either."

Azusa pursed her lips together. "Mugi-senpai . . . when we came to school, the military set themselves up in the clubroom. I . . . I think it was because it was on the highest point in the school."

"But, Azusa-chan, this school isn't laid out like Sakuragaoka was. The highest point I think I saw was a bell tower. And they did barricade the main entrance here."

Azusa shook her head. "From the _inside_, Mugi-senpai."

"Oh! Good point, Azusa-chan," Mugi replied. For the barest of instants, the light in her voice was back. Azusa smiled a little.

"Let's see what we can find, Mugi-senpai," she said. "Maybe . . . maybe there's somewhere here we can hide out, because I think we're going to be spending the night here."

Mugi nodded. "We should try finding the front office. There'll be a map we could use, for sure."

"Good thinking, Mugi-senpai," Azusa replied. She looked at Mugi, and for the first time, she found Mugi looking back at her. Together, they both smiled. It wasn't much, a tentative, tenuous thing, but it was a start.

Together, they prowled along the wall. Dead zombies were propped up against the wall, and lying on blood-soaked sleeping rolls.

"Eeek!"

Azusa felt her leg slide out from under her, and she fell backward. Her fall was checked by something warm and soft, and a strong arm wrapped around her.

"I've got you, Azusa-chan."

Azusa swallowed, trying to slow her racing heart.

"Th . . . thanks . . . what did I step on?"

"They look like shell casings," Mugi replied, looking over Azusa's shoulder.

"Shell . . . casings?" Azusa echoed. "C . . . could you let me go now, Mugi-senpai?"

"Sorry!"

Azusa tugged on her shirt, playing her flashlight up and down the hall. There were bright golden glints among the blood and gore. She knelt down, picking one up.

"These look like they came from the sort of . . . gun that Mio-senpai has . . . Mugi-senpai!"

Mugi dropped beside Azusa, looking over at her.

"What is it, Azusa-chan?"

Azusa swallowed again, trying not to breathe. "Some . . . some of these . . . don't look like . . . "

Mugi shook her head. "No, they don't. They don't look infected," she said, biting her lip. "Not at all," she frowned, her thick eyebrows furrowing. "What was the military _doing_ here?"

They crawled to one of the corpses, one of a young woman, propped up against the wall. Azusa's breath caught in her throat as she looked over the dead girl.

"I . . . I think . . . " Azusa felt her eyes starting to burn. "I think I know her."

"Who is it," Mugi whispered, clenching her free hand into a fist.

"I," Azusa struggled to place the face. "We weren't that close, but she's . . . " Azusa took a deep breath. "Jun's senpai from the Jazz Club."

"They had to have been evacuating people this way," Mugi said.

"Jun," Azusa murmured, her eyes bright. Her breath caught in her throat. "Jun . . . if her senpai was here . . . "

Suddenly, Mugi was in front of her, blue eyes locked onto hers. "That's not true, Azusa-chan! There's more than one evacuation center . . . maybe Suzuki-san's senpai just wound up here . . . maybe Suz . . . Jun is still out there!"

"I . . . " Azusa forced herself to take a deep breath. It came out in a fit of gagging and coughing, the taste of death and decay seeming to coat her mouth.

"Azusa-chan!"

Azusa wiped her eyes, sniffling. "I . . . I'm fine," she said, her voice unsteady. "You . . . you're right," she forced herself to say. "Jun's still out there." She wiped her eyes again. "I've gotta believe that." She forced herself to her feet, trying not to look at the other dead. "Let's . . . keep going."

Azusa walked on, her stomach churning. Suddenly, her mind was filled with the faces of others she knew from school. Others she knew from her neighborhood. Her parents.

"Mugi-senpai," she said, reaching out to steady herself against the wall. "I . . . I need a moment."

"What's wrong?"

"I . . . give me a moment, please," Azusa replied, leaning against the wall, forcing herself to breathe. _I can't think about any of those people right now._ The world came out of focus, her eyes wet once more. _I . . . I can't help any of those people . . . I . . . I have to help my friends . . . the people I'm with right now._

"I . . . I need to be strong . . . " she whimpered softly. "I . . . I need to be fearless like Yui-senpai. I . . . I need to be strong, like Ritsu-senpai. I . . . I'm the responsible one. I . . . I have to be responsible."

"Azusa-chan," Mugi said softly, frowning. She wiped her hand on her jacket, and reached into her pocket, taking out a handkerchief. "Azusa-chan . . . you're all of those already," her voice grew softer, as she reached out to dab the tears coursing down Azusa's cheeks. "I'm . . . " Mugi took a deep breath. "I'm so envious of you, Azusa-chan. You've never been afraid to speak your mind. You've . . . " another deep breath. "Been stronger than I have."

Azusa rolled back against the wall, sagging against it, her knees weak. "How . . . how can you say that?"

"You were strong when I couldn't be, Azusa-chan!" Mugi's voice was nearly a shout. "You . . . you carried Ricchan up that embankment when I wouldn't! When I _wouldn't_. I . . . I know if it were you . . . you wouldn't have hesitated . . . when that zombie . . . and Ricchan . . . " 

* * *

><p><strong><em>. . . Earlier . . .<em>**

_Crack!_

_Crack!_

_CRASH!_

The wood barring the door gave way in a shower of splinters, and the double doors flew open, knocking back a pair of zombies. Both zombies snarled, their eyes glowing in the light of the flashlight taped to the barrel of Mugi's shotgun.

_BOOM!_

One zombie staggered back, clutching its ruined face. Mugi's shotgun spoke once more, and it was on the ground, twitching.

"Raaaagh!" The second zombie screamed, lunging for Azusa and Yui.

_Bam!_

The revolver in Ui's hands spoke once. The zombie's lunge ended in an unsteady stagger, as it stared down at the spreading stain of blood on its chest.

_Bam!_

The zombie toppled backward, and Ui looked around. Azusa did too, shifting under Ritsu's weight. It was an old Japanese-style farmhouse, and it was immediately reassuring.

"Quickly," Ui said, beckoning toward a kotatsu. "There's a bedroll here. Let's get Ritsu-senpai on it!"

"R . . . right," Azusa replied, looking to Yui. "Just a little further, Yui-senpai. One . . . two . . . three!"

They lifted Ritsu, half-carrying, half-dragging her from the foyer to the bedroll next to the kotatsu. Ui slipped behind Ritsu, and together, they lowered their limp friend. Azusa put her hand on her chest, trying not to gasp for breath. Ritsu had a shirt wrapped around her head, and it was already spotted and stained where her blood had soaked through it.

"She looks so pale," Azusa said, biting her knuckle.

"Has she moved or anything?" Ui said, kneeling next to Ritsu.

"Nuh uh," Yui replied. "She's been out-cold the whole time."

"I . . . don't know if that's the right phrase to use, Onee-chan," Ui replied. There was grim rebuke in her tone. Azusa found herself nodding.

Azusa sank to her knees next to Ui. The harrowing trip to the farmhouse had passed in a nightmarish blur. That they'd seen it, so close to the railroad tracks, was astonishing. That they only had to kill five zombies to get there . . . was a miracle."

"Ritsu-senpai," she said, laying her hand atop Ritsu's chest. She felt cold, her chest barely rising and falling. Behind them, Mugi had left, and returned with Mio. She staggered, wordlessly, into the house, leaning against Mugi. Mugi guided Mio into the living room, where she sank down onto the tatami, wrapping her arms around her legs, burying her face between her knees.

"Azusa-chan, help me with these futons," Ui said. Azusa nodded, levering herself to her feet. She picked them up, as Ui indicated, who then lifted Ritsu's legs. "Just slide these under her legs."

"Right," Azusa replied. Numbly, she did what Ui told her. "Ui . . . you seem to know a lot about first aid."

"That's my Ui," Yui replied. "I got into a lot of things when I was little . . . she's good at first aid."

"Onee-chan! We're both pretty good at it, Azusa-chan. Onee-chan always has bandages and stuff with her, wherever she goes."

"Band-aids aren't going to help Ricchan," Yui said. Azusa stared at Yui in disbelief. Ritsu was laying there, likely dying, and Yui's tone still managed to exude classic Yui. She gasped as Yui took her hands. "They'll help you, though, Azu-nyan . . . let me have a look at your hands."

Azusa found herself nodding. Her cheeks started to warm as Yui's hands turned hers over.

"I've got just the thing," Yui pronounced, shrugging off her guitar case and her backpack. She produced a box of band-aids, and went to work.

"We . . . should be good here tonight, right," Azusa said, wincing as Yui dabbed the cuts on her hand with a towelette.

"I don't know about Ritsu, though," Mugi replied.

"I don't either," Ui added, setting the blood-soaked shirt aside. She took out a bottle of vodka from her pack, soaking a washcloth with it, and gently wiping down Ritsu's head and face with it. "I think she needs more than . . . than I can do for her."

"We're not leaving her," Mio said, lifting her head just long enough to glare at them with bloodshot eyes.

"Mio," Ui started to say.

"You hear me? We are not leaving Ritsu behind," Mio repeated. "I . . . I'll die with her, before I let anybody leave her behind. You hear me?"

"We're not going to leave Ritsu-senpai behind," Azusa announced. Mio briefly locked eyes with her, and then dropped her face back between her knees. "I mean it," Azusa said, looking around the table. "No matter what happens, we're not leaving her behind. Not for anything!"

Azusa exhaled sharply. She said it. They weren't going to leave Ritsu behind.

"Ricchan needs more than just us, though," Yui said. Azusa bit her lip . . . she preferred to just roll with Yui's occasional flashes of brilliance.

"Especially if she's going to make it to Tokyo with us," Yui added.

That's what Nodoka had made them promise, wasn't it? No half-measures? Tokyo, or bust. But she didn't know about the others . . . she couldn't have known the others would come to join them.

"Hey," Azusa said, looking past Yui. "Do you guys think there might be other evacuation centers here? I mean . . . other than the big one?"

Ui gently laid Ritsu's head to rest on a towel atop a pillow. "Well," she started, looking up at the ceiling, "there are a school further down the railroad tracks, and there's a university in the city. At least, that's what I remember off-hand . . . I'd have to look at the map some more."

"Well, maybe they were using the school as a local shelter," Azusa said. "Maybe there's medical supplies there, or maybe even radios. Something we can call for help with."

"Azusa-chan," Mugi replied, gently. "That's a lot of 'maybes.' Too many to risk trying to carry Ritsu that far."

Azusa pressed her lips together. "M . . . maybe if a couple of us went down to check it out?"

She suddenly felt a lot pairs of eyes burning into her. 

* * *

><p><strong><em>. . . Now . . .<em>**

"I think there's light coming from under that door," Mugi said. Azusa looked up with a start. They'd found the front office easily enough, which was a relief, given what Mugi had said to Azusa earlier.

"Oh?" Azusa said, playing her flashlight over what looked to be a solid door. Mugi gestured to her own flashlight, which was off.

"Oh," Azusa murmured.

_Click._

They were plunged into heavy darkness. A darkness broken only by the faint line of light coming from under the door.

Azusa felt her mouth dry.

_Click._

"Mugi-senpai . . . do you think someone's in there?"

"I don't know," Mugi replied, reaching for her shotgun.

"I'll . . . I'll knock," Azusa said, taking a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest. She carefully approached the door, and ever so lightly knocked on it.

"Is . . . is anybody in there?"

Silence.

Azusa slowly let out the breath she was holding. Her hand was shaking, as she started to reach for the doorknob.

_"Azusa?"_

Azusa screamed, jumping back. Accusatory eyes flashed back to Mugi . . . who shrugged helplessly.

"Who . . . who's there," Azusa's voice squeaked.

_"Azusa . . . "_ the voice behind the door said. It sounded familiar, but somehow thicker . . . slurred, even.

"Y . . . yes! My name is Azusa! Who . . . who are y . . . you?"

Silence.

_"You . . . Azusa . . . it's me . . . Jun . . . _urp_ . . . ughhh . . . "_

"Jun," Azusa managed, staring at the door. "Jun? Jun? Is . . . is it really you?"

There was an ill-sounding gurgle behind the door, and then a violent fit of coughing.

_"Y . . . yeah . . . It's me . . . "_

"Jun!" Azusa nearly yelled. "I . . . I never thought I'd see you again! What happened? How are you here?"

_"They . . . brought us here . . . hospital was overrun . . . here's overrun too . . . figured out how to work the bell though."_ There was a nasty chuckle. _"They . . . they really don't like noise . . . let the bastards fight amongst themselves."_

Azusa frowned, looking toward Mugi. She found Mugi wearing an identical expression of concern.

"Jun . . . are you okay?"

_"I'm . . . I'm fine. Really . . . fine . . . never been better. Just me . . . and my bell."_

"Can I . . . can we come in?" Azusa reached for the doorknob again. It was locked.

_**"You leave that alone!**_"

Azusa's hand jerked back, as though the doorknob were red-hot.

"I'm sorry, Jun! I just . . . I just wanted to see you."

_"That's . . . what the others said . . . and then . . . ding-dong, ding-dong . . . no more infected tricksters."_

"Jun . . . what are you saying?" Azusa felt an ache deep in her chest. "What's wrong with you?"

"_**No!**_ _What's wrong with_ _**you?**_ _No . . . wait . . . who are you really?"_

There was more coughing, more gurgling.

"Jun," Azusa said, feeling her eyes start to mist up. "It's me . . . Azusa."

_"P . . . prove it . . . if it's really you . . . put Ui on . . . "_

"Ui . . . Ui's not with me," Azusa said, fighting back her tears. "Jun . . . I've got Mugi-senpai with me."

_"S . . . senpai? They . . . they murdered my senpai . . . you know . . . men in green . . . liars in green . . . "_

"Suzuki-san," Mugi called out. "It really is me, Kotobuki Tsumugi-san. Azusa-chan is with me."

_"__**Th . . . think you can fool me? **__ If . . . it's . . . you . . . where's Mio-senpai?"_

"I'm sorry, Jun," Azusa managed. "Mio-senpai isn't here either. They're back at a farmhouse and . . . "

_"__**LIAR!**__" _Jun screamed._ "You're . . . you're not Azusa! You . . . you're an impostor!"_

"Jun!" Azusa hit the door with her fists, squeezing her eyes shut. "Believe me! I'm begging you!"

_"I . . . I got a cure for frickin' liars! You . . . won't fool me! Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong!"_

_WHAM!_

The door shook violently.

_WHAM!_

_WHAM!_

_WHAM!_

Azusa screamed, jumping back to the sudden cacophony of school bells.

_Crack!_

Cracks appeared in the door as Jun hammered at it, trying to say something, but her voice was an inarticulate snarl.

_WHAM!_

_Crunch!_

The door gave way, slamming open with a percussive slap that Azusa felt. Standing in the doorway was something that wore Jun's leering face, stretched grotesquely over bloated flesh. Her top was wrapped tightly under her breasts, her gut an immense spread of boils and open sores, spilling over the top of her jeans. Beady eyes peered out from rolls of pale fat, glowing yellow in the light.

"Ruuuugh," the Jun-thing moaned, putrescent green vomit spewing forth.

Azusa screamed, her eyes burning with bile and stomach acid. Her skin crawling, her face feeling like it was suddenly on fire.

_BOOM!_

_KA-BOOM!_

A warm hand of flame and meaty chunks lifted Azusa up, slamming her into the floor; forcing her to breathe in vile vomit.

"I can't see!" She screamed, forcing herself up to her hands and knees, coughing violently. "Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh m . . . ugh!"

The stench hit her, and she vomited violently, her stomach heaving hard. Her eyes burned, even though they were tightly shut, and the tears were flowing freely. Her ears rang, and she could barely hear Mugi.

" . . . chan . . . old still!"

_What?_ She wanted to say, but it came out as a moan. The feel of ice-cold water being dumped over her head made her sit up with a start.

"Quickly," Mugi's voice said. "Wipe your eyes." Azusa felt something touch her head, and she grabbed blindly, seizing upon the cloth. She wiped desperately at her eyes, but they burned still.

"Open your eyes and look up," Mugi said. "I've got more water, Azusa-chan!"

"They hurt," Azusa whimpered, but she tried anyway. The world was hazy and green. A Mugi-shaped green blob lifted a canteen-shaped green blob, and water cascaded down Azusa's face. She vigorously rubbed her eyes, and by degrees, the burning faded to tolerable levels. Slowly, the world came into focus, and Jun wasn't there anymore.

"Where . . . where's Jun," she started to say. Mugi looked stricken, as she looked away.

"I'm sorry, Azusa-chan . . . I . . . I had to shoot her. I had to shoot Suzuki-san, and I'm sorry!"

"But . . . what happened after that?" Azusa said, shaking her head. Her stomach heaved again, but she had nothing more to give.

"I . . . she . . . exploded," Mugi replied.

"Exploded?" Azusa echoed.

Mugi nodded, gesturing toward the ruined door with her canteen. Azusa's eyes followed, and then her stomach proved that she did have something left to give after all. After a few moments, she wiped the mucus from the corner of her lips and forced herself to look again.

Of Suzuki Jun, nothing remained but a set of grotesquely swollen legs. Everything above the waist was now painted all over the walls, the ceiling, and all over Azusa and Mugi. The school bells jangled on, filling the air with sharp sound. Azusa tore her eyes away from Jun's remains. There would be time enough to cry later.

"We should turn off that bell," she said. There, that would do, for starters.

Mugi nodded. Already, she was reloading her shotgun. Azusa stepped gingerly into the office that Jun had barricaded herself in, only to frown in despair at the jumble of blurs that was laid out before her.

"Mugi-senpai! Come here, please? I still can't see very well!"

"Right!" Mugi replied, shouldering past Azusa. She stood still for several moments, amidst the clatter of the bells.

"There!" Mugi cried out, stabbing out with her finger.

Silence.

Azusa wanted to sigh with relief, but she knew Jun was right. Zombies hated noise, and the building wasn't zombie-proof.

"Azusa-chan!" Mugi said. "Look here," she said, playing her flashlight over a large blur that Azusa could barely make out. She knelt closer, and her breath caught in her throat.

"I . . . I think this is what Ui was hoping we'd find," she said. It looked very much like an emergency response pack. "She must've stolen it before she locked herself in here."

"That's not all," Mugi said, shining her light on a black object. Azusa rubbed her eyes, wondering how long it would take her to see normally again.

"Is that . . . a radio?"

"Yes," Mugi replied. "Should we use it?"

Azusa shook her head. "Nuh uh! Let's wait till we get back to the farmhouse," she said, her mouth snapping shut as the image of Jun's dead senpai flashed before her eyes. "It'd . . . be better if they saw a bunch of _healthy_ people in one place."

"Azusa-chan . . . are you sure?" Mugi said, frowning. "I . . . I can hear screaming outside. We're going to have a fight on our hands soon," she looked down at her shotgun, and at Azusa's two small guns. "I . . . I don't know if we can win it."

Azusa fell silent. There was a faint echoing in the hallways.

Snarling.

Screaming.

Growling.

The infected were coming.

"We don't have to fight," Azusa said, her voice threatening to fail her. "We . . . we have to make it to morning! For the others . . . they're counting on us Mugi-senpai! Counting on us to come back!"

Mugi cast a nervous glance toward the door. She mouthed words that Azusa couldn't make out, exhaled sharply, and then her eyes were firmly on Azusa's.

"If we're going to do something to avoid this fight . . . we'd better do it soon, Azusa-chan."

* * *

><p>Yui was rarely an early riser. And, yet, she was awake and it wasn't sunrise yet. Then again, she'd never been to sleep. All night, she'd sat outside the farmhouse, staring south . . . waiting for Azusa's return. She looked down at the small notepad she had with her. There were doodles, yes, but among them were something else.<p>

Words.

Words about Azu-nyan. About all of them.

Hopeful, nostalgic, words.

Words that might, someday, be set to a tune she didn't yet know.

She tried anyway, humming tunelessly, as she tucked her notepad back into her pocket. She stood, drawing the gun at her side.

"Freeze!" She said, pointing it in the most menacing pose she could think of. There weren't any zombies trying to get her _right now._ She could indulge herself.

Just then, she saw movement. Figures picking their way slowly up the path cut through the middle of the field. Coming out of the rising sun. She stood, shading her eyes from the golden sunlight, pointing her gun into the air. She had no false impressions about her marksmanship. The warning shot would be for the others still inside.

The figures stopped at the roadside. Both were human. In fact . . .

"Yui-senpai?"

"Azu-nyan!" Yui shouted.

"Yui-senpai! Wh . . . what are you doing outside!" Azusa said, starting across the road.

"Keeping watch! All night long!" Yui replied, leaping off the porch.

"You . . . you're crazy!"

"Crazy is how badly I've missed my Azu-nyaaaaaaaan!" Yui sprinted down the driveway, arms outstretched. Before Azusa could react, Yui was wrapped around her, coughing.

"Ugh! You sure are stinky, Azu-nyan! What happened?"

"I . . . " Azusa looked away. "I don't want to talk about it!"

"Ohhh! You found stuff!" Yui said, noticing Mugi's bulging backpack. Her lips suddenly took on an 'o' of concern.

"What happened to you two? Your clothes are all torn!"

"It was a rough night, Yui-chan," Mugi was the first to reply. "We'll fill you in later."

"Yui-senpai," Azusa said, pushing Yui back. "How . . . " her voice fell into a mumbled whisper. "How is . . . Ritsu-senpai?"

Yui looked down at Azusa, not saying anything.

"Azu-nyan," she said.

Azusa suddenly felt unsteady on her feet. She leaned into Yui, her hands on her senpai's chest.

"What . . . what's going on," a voice said behind them. A voice that sounded as weak and unsteady as Azusa felt.

Mugi, Yui, and Azusa all turned as one.

"You . . . gonna answer me, or what?" Ritsu said, leaning heavily against the doorway. "Wh . . . what're you all doin' . . . out here?" Her eyes rolled and she slumped against the doorway, starting to slide down. Azusa broke free of Yui, running up the driveway.

Ritsu's eyes fluttered open, and she caught herself. "For that matter . . . where am I . . . ooof!"

Azusa wrapped her arms tightly around Ritsu.

"Ritsu . . . senpai . . . I . . . we . . . so worried," she moaned, burying her face into Ritsu's chest, her eyes burning with renewed tears.

"H . . . hey," Ritsu said, gingerly putting a hand on Azusa's back. "I . . . I don't even know . . . what happened."

"You . . . you nearly died!" Azusa cried. Ritsu groaned.

"I . . . yeah . . . I've . . . felt better." Her eyes snapped open as she breathed Azusa in. "What the hell happened to _you_? Oh . . . God . . . that's horrible!"

"Don't want to talk about it," Azusa murmured. "I'm . . . just glad you're still here."

Ritsu wrapped her arms around Azusa, her eyes starting to flutter shut.

"Ricchan," Mugi said. "Are the others up yet?" Relief and concern warred in her voice.

Ritsu's eyes wandered open again. "Don't . . . know. Think I just woke."

Mugi closed her eyes. "Okay," she said. "I'm going to wake everybody else up, then. We need to get ready."

"Ready . . . " Yui echoed. "Oh! You found a radio?"

"Not . . . so loud, Hirasawa-san," Ritsu murmured, turning an eye back to Mugi. "Gonna . . . try . . . call a rescue?"

Azusa lifted her face from Ritsu's chest, holding her in her arms and trying not to think about just how much Ritsu seemed ready to fall over.

"We are, Ritsu-senpai," she replied, sniffling. "We're going to get you out of here."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

- And, so ends this chapter. The girls are re-united, and they've found a radio. That can only mean one thing . . . next chapter's a finale, and the one after that kicks off the next arc. I have just two more arcs planned after the current one, and then that'll be that.  
>- If you're reading this, you have my personal gratitude for sticking it out with me.<br>- There's a note in the _**Dead Run**_ chapter about Nodoka disposing of that first Jockey so quickly. _**Now**_ the girls know what one of those can do.  
>- Likewise, now you know what happened to Jun. <p>


	13. Chapter 12

**Dead on Arrival:  
><strong>_How they like you served._

Azusa shivered as she stared down at the radio perched atop the kotatsu. The bath had been a relief, even if the water was the next best thing to ice-cold.

"I think we need to find you some tomato juice, Azu-nyan," Yui said, leaning against Azusa.

"Tomato juice? Why?"

"I dunno. I think I saw on TV once that it was good for skunks."

"Huh," Azusa replied, filing the information away. She stared across the table at Ritsu and Mio. Ritsu's head had proper bandages on it; which were covered by a bright yellow bandana they'd found while searching the farmhouse. Azusa frowned, as Ritsu's head bobbed forward. She still wasn't quite all-there.

Mio, on the other hand, looked like a terrified, caged, animal. Her gray eyes were wide, darting around the room. Behind her, Mugi laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. Ui stood, staring at the door. She was the only one of them who had a weapon. It still shocked Azusa just how alike the two Hirasawa sisters looked when Ui's hair was down.

"I'm nervous," Azusa said, still staring at the radio. She hadn't yet told them everything she and Mugi saw at that school.

"Azusa," Ritsu said, fixing her eyes on her. "I'd . . . do it, but . . . " she waved a hand helplessly.

"Right," Azusa said, starting to reach for the radio.

"We can do it together, Azu-nyan," Yui said, putting her hand atop Azusa's.

"Yes we can," Mugi added, placing her hand on Yui's.

"Hey . . . I'm in," Ritsu murmured, turning to Mio. "C'mon . . . you too . . . Mio."

Mio nodded jerkily, not saying anything as her hand joined the others.

Azusa felt a blush on her cheeks. "O . . . okay guys."

"One, two . . . "

_Click._

Static.

Hissing, crackling, popping static filled the air between them. Azusa was holding her breath.

_Fshhhht_.

" . . . nyone . . . listening on this frequency, please respond."

"Is that," Yui started to say, when Azusa clamped her other hand over her mouth. "Shush, Yui-senpai!"

"If anyone's . . . on this frequency, please respond."

"It is," Mugi, said, her eyes lighting up.

Azusa fumbled for the "Talk" button.

"H . . . hello? Can you hear me?"

_Crackle._

"Whoever you are . . . please repeat?"

The girls all inhaled at once.

"Hello," Azusa repeated. "Can you hear me?"

The radio spit forth a warbling wail.

"I . . . I was starting to think nobody was going to answer! What is your situation? Over?"

Azusa's eyes moved back and forth, as she looked at each of her friends.

"There are . . . six of us here. One of us is hurt pretty bad!"

The warbling wail returned.

"Survivors! All in one place too! Listen . . .listen, I've got a Medevac, and I've been evacuating survivors to Fukushima. What is your location?"

Static.

"Medevac?" Yui echoed the unfamiliar word.

"It's a medical helicopter," Mugi replied. "An . . . air ambulance."

"Oooh! That sounds like a big helicopter!"

"It is," Mugi replied. "He could easily get us all out of here," she glanced to Ritsu. "Even Ricchan."

_Fssshhht!_

"Survivors . . . are you there? I repeat: What is your location?"

"Oh! Sorry!" Azusa said, stabbing at the button.

"Uh, hello? We're in a farmhouse by the railroad tracks in . . . " she looked helplessly at Ui.

Ui knelt down among them, reaching for the radio.

"Hi, sorry about that," Ui said, speaking into the radio. "We're a kilometer north of the Funaoka Station in Shibata."

The radio crackled to life.

"I know where you are! I evacuated some 'special forces' people from there a couple days ago! Listen . . . I can be there in forty minutes . . . but the military is getting ready to bomb the evacuation center north of you in half an hour."

_"What!"_ The girls gasped in unison.

_Clatter._ The radio slipped from Ui's hand, dropping to the floor. Azusa dived for the radio, knocking Yui over, landing on her in a heap. Ui looked at them both and smiled, picking up the radio.

"I'm sorry about that," she said. "Did you say that the military is about to bomb the evacuation center?"

"Affirmative, survivors. You're going to have company . . . did you check the greenhouse?"

"The _what_?" Azusa said, rolling off Yui.

Ui pressed the button again.

"Sorry, we didn't catch that."

"The greenhouse," the voice on the radio replied. "The JSDF left weapons . . . supplies . . . I . . . I suggest that if you know how to use them, arm yourselves . . . I'll be headed up that way but . . . call me again when you are ready. Over and out."

They stared at that radio in silence.

"How . . . how much time?" Ritsu looked up.

"Oh! My phone!" Yui said, fumbling in her pockets. She took out her cell phone, flipping it open. Azusa looked over her shoulder, and then back at Ritsu.

"We have twenty-seven minutes," she said, swallowing.

"Not . . . not much time," Ritsu said. "Could . . . use some more pills."

"What for?" Azusa asked, fearing she already knew the answer.

"Well . . . gonna . . . have to fight. I'll . . . pull my weight."

"No, Ritsu-senpai," Azusa said, standing up.

"Damn . . . damn it, Azusa . . . not the time."

"Yes it is, Ritsu-senpai," Azusa replied, already feeling her pulse start to quicken. "You . . . you're in no shape for a fight!"

"I'll . . . I'll do it . . . watch me!" Ritsu started to push herself up.

"Don't be stupid, Ritsu," Mio said, grabbing Ritsu's sleeve. For the first time since Ritsu had been attacked, Mio's face wore an expression other than all-consuming terror.

"Mio . . . "

"It won't work, Ritsu," Mio replied. "You . . . you almost died there! We . . . we . . . we'll protect you!"

"Mio . . . can you? Can . . . you? Even from . . . " Ritsu pointed to the bandana she wore.

"I . . . " the haunted look was back. Mio stared at Ritsu.

"We'll protect you, Ritsu-senpai," Azusa said, looking down at Ritsu and Mio. "I mean it."

"Yeah!" Yui said. "We'll fight to protect Squad-member Ricchan!"

"Count me in too, Azusa," Ui replied, after casting a glance at Yui.

"I'm with you, Azusa-chan and Ricchan," Mugi said, pumping a fist.

"Guys," Ritsu said, her eyes bright. She looked around, and then shook her head violently and sniffled. "S . . . just sweat. So . . . got a plan?"

Mio wiped her eyes and looked over at Ritsu. "You're the last person to be asking about plans, Ritsu," she said, her expression stern when Ritsu looked back at her. She then, slowly, cracked a smile.

"Yui-senpai," Azusa said. "Do you know enough about the farmhouse and everything around it to draw a quick map?"

Yui tilted her head to the side. "Sure, Azu-nyan, but what for?"

"You'll find out when we get back," Azusa said. "Mugi-senpai? We should see what's in the greenhouse. Ui, come with us. You can tell me what you found here yesterday."

"Of course, Azusa-chan," Ui replied, taking a moment to tie her hair back up into a ponytail.

* * *

><p>"What are you thinking, Azusa-chan?" Mugi said, as they stared at, what had turned out to be a sizeable pile of, guns and ammunition.<p>

"I think," Azusa replied, looking to Ui, "that . . . well, we're going to need a good plan to get out of this. And . . . " she stared at the cache. It was all rifles and metal boxes of ammunition. "And we're going to need . . . these . . . "

"Azusa-chan," Ui said. "Do you need any help?"

Azusa shook her head. "Nuh uh, not yet . . . I like planning things. Let's get this back to the house."

"Onee-chan will be so happy," Ui said, kneeling down and examining some of the boxes. "This looks like the same sort of bullet that hers, and Mio's, guns take."

"Ohhh! I think I will be too," Mugi said, checking another box. In it was packages of shotgun shells. "I was starting to worry," she added.

Azusa looked over the boxes herself. She couldn't find anything that looked like the bullets their revolvers took. That was going to have to factor into her plans. So was what Ui told them when they left the farmhouse. There were some trees on the property, and they faced the mall. There were some houses up the road, also closer to the mall. They'd slow the zombies down, maybe.

She stood, slinging a rifle over her shoulder. Having the weight of a rifle on her again gave her a sudden case of the butterflies. She then picked up another, and bent over to pick up several cases of ammunition. When she looked up, everyone else was similarly burdened, save Mugi, who was trying to find a way to pack up all the cases of shotgun shells.

"Aren't you going to take a rifle, Mugi-senpai?"

"I'm fine," Mugi replied. "She's gotten me this far . . . it'd be like asking Yui-chan if she'd like to play any instrument other than Gitah."

Azusa tilted her head.

"Okay, Mugi-senpai."

* * *

><p>"I'll hang on to those," Ritsu said, motioning toward the two revolvers Azusa had set on the kotatsu.<p>

"Are you sure, Ritsu-senpai?"

"Yeah. Not . . . strong enough for anything bigger . . . right now."

Azusa nodded. Ritsu seemed less discombobulated than she had been, before Azusa went to the greenhouse. She suspected she was going to have to hang on to all the pills. She looked over at Mio who, almost lovingly, cradled her new rifle. To the other side, she saw Yui focused on popping bullets into the long stick of an SMG magazine. Mugi was wiping down her shotgun, and Ui sat on the side of the table opposite to the door, watching. Momentarily, Azusa wondered if _any_ of them could ever be 'normal' again.

"Azu-nyan!"

"Yes, Yui-senpai!"

"Here's the map you wanted," Yui said, offering her a folded piece of paper. Azusa took it, quickly unfolding it. It had Yui's customary doodles, but it was clear she'd gone to great effort to get everything right.

"Thank you, Yui-senpai," she said, feeling warmth in her cheeks.

"Anything for my Azu-nyan," Yui replied.

"So . . . what's the . . . map for?" Ritsu said, and then frowned. "Damn it . . . what's wrong with me?"

"You've lost a lot of blood, and I'm pretty sure you've got a really bad concussion," Ui replied, gently touching Ritsu's head.

"A concussion . . . ow . . . you'd think that . . . with as many times as I've been knocked over the head by Akiyama-san . . I'd be immune to those."

"Not funny, Ritsu," Mio said, her eyes snapping over to Ritsu.

"The map," Azusa echoed. "I want to try some planning, instead of everybody just going off and . . . shooting everything that moves." She picked up one of Yui's pencils from the table, and lightly drew an arrow pointing to the north side of the map. "Like, to start, I think they're going to come at us from there; so that's where we should be keeping an eye out."

"Why there, Azusa-chan?" Mugi asked.

"That's the direction of the mall. When the military . . . bombs it, everyone around there is going to scatter."

"You think so, Azusa-chan?"

Azusa tilted her head. "What . . . am I missing?"

"Well, I was just thinking that . . . that it's going to make a lot of noise. Don't you think that would _attract_ zombies? So," Mugi said, gently picking up another pencil, "I think they'll be coming from the south."

Azusa looked at the map. She hadn't thought of that. She'd just assumed that . . .

_"Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong!"_ Jun's mocking voice echoed in her head.

"Ugh," Azusa said. "Okay, so we should get between the house and the trees, after the mall gets bombed. The farmhouse and the other buildings here . . . maybe they'll slow them down."

"How about the corner on that side that's closest to the railroad tracks?" Ui asked, checking Ritsu's bandages. "A lot of the city is on our side of the tracks."

Azusa scribbled out her first line, darkened the one Mugi drew from the south, and added one through the trees.

"Okay," she said. "I like that . . . I like that a lot." She started drawing little circles. "Mio-senpai . . . I'd like you over here with Ui and I."

"No way! I want to stay with Ritsu!"

"But you have a rifle, like Ui and I."

Mio closed her eyes and shook her head. "Can't you take Mugi? She has her shotgun, right?"

"Mio-chan," Mugi replied. "My shotgun is good for close-in work. I . . . I remember from my trips to Finland that I don't have the right kind of shells to make it like a rifle."

"I . . . think she wants Mugi to stay with me. Her and . . . I guess Yui?" Ritsu said.

"Y . . . Y . . . Yui . . . we can trade, right? Right?"

"Mio-chan . . . " Yui replied. "I can't shoot any gun but this one."

"That's . . . our Yui," Ritsu grinned faintly, and then winced as Ui changed out some of her dressings.

"But . . . but I'm still not very good with it," Mio replied, her voice small. Ritsu scooted closer to Mio and, carefully, draped an arm around her shoulder.

"You'll just have to get . . . better, then. If they get past you . . . just think . . . _Yui_ is going to be my last line of . . . _ow!_ "

"I'm sorry, Ritsu-senpai, my hand just kinda . . . slipped," Ui said.

"Ricchan, that wasn't very nice," Yui said.

"Can we focus?" Azusa said. "Can we _please_ focus?" Suddenly, all eyes were on her, and she realized just how much she'd raised her voice.

"I'm sure Ritsu-senpai will be okay with Mugi-senpai and Yui-senpai," she said, quietly. "I want you guys to stay close to the house."

"Good idea, Azu-nyan," Yui said. "That way we can't get caught by those smoker zombies."

Another detail. Just like the other . . . special . . . zombies they'd seen so far.

"And . . . and the rest of us will stay close to you. In fact, you guys stay really close together, and we'll stay really close together," Azusa, said. "That'll . . . make it harder for them to pick us off one-by-one," she trailed off, remembering what happened when Jun . . . exploded . . . all over her and Mugi. She then shook her head. What they needed was an army. What they had was each other. They'd just have to make it count, and play it by ear.

"Is . . . this something we can make work?" Azusa asked, looking around.

"It's . . . pretty simple," Ritsu replied first. "Should be . . . no problem. Right?"

The others shook their heads. Even, after a little hesitation, Mio.

"Okay," Azusa said. "Let's let that pilot know we're ready for him."

Mio looked suddenly stricken, and she moaned softly.

"Mio-senpai, what's wrong?" Azusa asked with a frown. Mio pursed her lips, a little color draining from her cheeks.

"I've . . . I've . . . I've never been on a helicopter before," she finally said. "I'm . . . it makes me nervous to think about it."

The others looked at her.

"C'mon, Mio," Ritsu said. "Maybe the helicopter . . . maybe it's made of chocolate, " she said, looking over at Mio, chuckling softly.

* * *

><p>"Yui-senpai!" Azusa said, seeing Yui by the doorway. "Remember what the pilot said? About not standing near any doors or windows?"<p>

"Aww," Yui replied, "I wanted to see something blow up!"

"Azusa's right, Yui-chan," Mugi said. "We're not that far from where they're dropping those bombs. I think it's going to be exciting enough in a few minutes."

Azusa watched as Yui, reluctantly, turned away from the doorway. She breathed a sigh of relief, momentarily glancing at the guitar bag on Yui's back. She had a flashback to when Nodoka tried, and failed, to get her to leave it behind

"I'm glad you listen sometimes, Yui-senpai," she whispered, quickly looking down at her rifle. More shooting. More goddamned shooting. She looked back up at Yui, watching her. Suddenly, she was struck by the energy of Yui's movements. She was moving like she was about to go on stage, and somehow, she found that to be . . .

_Why am I looking at Yui-senpai like that?_

"Ugh," Azusa said, turning away, marching right up to Mio and Ritsu.

"Mio-senpai? Are you ready?"

Mio looked at Azusa. "I . . . I . . . I guess I have to be, don't I?"

"Yeah . . . you do," Ritsu said. "I'm good Mio . . . go . . . help Ui? Need . . . to have word with Azusa."

"Ritsu," Mio said.

"It'll . . . just be a minute."

Mio bit her lip, and then adjusted the rifle on her shoulder and reluctantly turned away.

"What is it, Ritsu-senpai?" Azusa asked. Ritsu looked rakish in her bandana. More importantly, she looked alert.

"Just wanted . . . to say thanks," Ritsu replied. "You're getting 'em . . . whipped into shape."

"I . . . it was all you, Ritsu-senpai," Azusa said, feeling her cheeks warm. "You got everyone this far!"

"Nah," Ritsu replied. "I've been . . . flying by the seat of my pants . . . just glad it's worked so far. God, I feel . . . like my head's full . . . of cotton."

"Ritsu-senpai . . . "

"Hey . . . just keep doing what you're doing, okay?"

Azusa stared at Ritsu. "We're getting out of here, Ritsu-senpai! All of us . . . even if I have to carry you myself!"

Ritsu laughed, and then lightly touched Azusa's shoulder.

"That's pretty funny. Don't worry . . . this is not . . . ugh . . . how it's gonna end."

"Guys! Guys!" Yui shouted. "Planes!"

Azusa's head snapped over. Yui was by the windows, and she suddenly realized that she could hear the distant, but unmistakable howl of jet engines. And it was getting louder, _fast_!

"Yui-senpai!" Azusa screamed, turning away from Ritsu, running toward Yui. "Get away from there!" Azusa yelled . . . feeling like she was moving in slow-motion. Seeing Yui turn away from the windows. She had to get to Yui . . . she just knew she had to get to Yui. The entire house shook as the jets screamed overhead, but her forward motion was checked as she slammed into Yui, wrapping her arms around her senpai . . . somehow spinning her away from the windows, throwing her down.

_**BOOM!**_

_**BOOM!**_

_**BOOM! BOOM! BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!**_

* * *

><p>" . . . Azusa-chan . . . "<p>

" . . . Azusa-chan! Get up, get up, get up!"

Azusa pushed herself to her knees, with Mugi's arms sliding around her.

"I . . . I'm fine," Azusa managed. "Yui-senpai!"

"Yui-chan's okay," Mugi replied. "We have get outside now . . . I need to get back to Ricchan now."

"Y . . . yes," Azusa said, shaking her head, pushing herself to her feet. Her ears rang from the concussion of the bomb blasts. The military, it seemed, wasn't playing around.

She stepped outside, and was hit by the smell of smoke. It wasn't the pleasant smell of a campfire and roasting S'mores, but the acrid stench of burning plastic and chemicals. She saw Yui and Ui standing by the doorway. Ui had her rifle ready.

"Yui-senpai!" Azusa said, feeling sudden anger burning inside her. "That was stupid!"

Yui managed to look embarrassed, rubbing the back of her head.

"Eheheh . . . sorry, Azu-nyan . . . "

"It's going to take more than 'sorry,' Yui-senpai!" Azusa snapped. "You . . . you . . . you could've gotten killed there!" She stomped right up to Yui. "We could've died! I . . . I . . . get your arms off me!"

"Azu-nyan," Yui replied, wrapping herself tightly around Azusa. "I . . . _know_ it was stupid . . . and I'm sorry that I worried you . . . "

"Yui-senpai."

"Thanks for saving me, Azu-nyan," Yui said. Azusa felt her closeness, her warmth, and how she was trembling.

"I . . . " she exhaled sharply. "Just . . . don't let it happen again, okay, Yui-senpai?"

"Heh . . . I gotcha, Azu-nyan," Yui replied. "They sure dropped a lot of bombs, didn't they?"

"Y . . . yeah," Azusa replied, looking around. She swallowed, seeing the massive pillar of jet-black smoke rising from the wreckage of the mall. A hot breeze, smelling of death and destruction, blasted her face and she shut her eyes.

"Everyone's outside, Azu-nyan. You're on," Yui said, pulling away. Azusa frowned . . . Yui seemed _very_ subdued.

"Yes," she replied, turning to see Mugi, Ritsu, and Mio.

"Mio-senpai," she said.

"Y . . . yes," Mio replied, stepping away from Ritsu. Yui glanced at Azusa one more time, and then picked her way over to Ritsu's side.

"Ui," Azusa said, and swallowed. "How long?"

"Not very," Ui replied. "I can hear them coming right now."

And so could Azusa. And so could they all. The wind carried bits of screams and growls. More, and more, screams and growls and shouts. Everything converging onto them into a single, enraged, howl . . . aimed right at them.

"Ohhhhh, get ready, here they come!"

* * *

><p><em>Crack!<em>

Somehow, Azusa managed to jump back, just in time, whipping the butt of her rifle across the hooded face of the zombie that tried to pounce her.

"Rrrrrrowl," the zombie snarled, crouching, its mouth stained with blood.

"No!" Azusa screamed, clubbing the zombie again and again. It yelped like some monstrous dog, lashing out with claw-like hands, ripping at the front of her jacket.

_Crack! Crack!_

The zombie collapsed.

"Th . . . thanks, Ui," Azusa gasped. "Left!" She screamed, bringing her rifle up.

_Crack-crack-crack!_

A zombie with a grotesquely stretched neck toppled over, already smoking as its own acids burned through its wounds.

"Thanks, Azusa," Ui said, breathlessly, clubbing one zombie, and then shooting another.

_Boom! Boom!_

Mugi's shotgun sounded behind them. There was a howl, and the sudden thudding of heavy feet. Yui's SMG chattered, and the charger tumbled to the ground, knocking down several other zombies. Azusa dropped to her knees, staring through the rifle's sights. She lined up on one zombie . . . down it went . . . followed by the one next to it.

Mugi screamed. Azusa turned with a start, staring in horror at the pulsating tongue wrapped around Mugi, pulling her off her feet, trying to drag her away from the house. She saw Ritsu, on her knees, aiming with her revolvers.

_Pop! Pop! Pop!_

_Crack!_

Mio's rifle went off by Azusa's side, and the smoker exploded. Already, Mugi was struggling to get free. Ritsu's revolver discharged, as she shot at the zombies converging on Mugi. Azusa forced herself to look away, staring through the trees at the shadowy shapes staggering between them.

"Eheheeheheehe!"

_There!_

Azusa's rifle kicked against her shoulder, and the giggling zombie pitched forward.

_"Roooooooooar!"_

"What was that?" Ui said, fumbling a fresh magazine into place.

_"Roooooooooar!"_

"It's . . . it's coming from the other side of the house!" Azusa replied.

"Tank!" She heard Ritsu shout. "Away . . . from the house!"

"Tank," Azusa parroted, seeing Ritsu frantically waving Yui and Mugi away.

"B . . . b . . . b . . . big guy," Mio stammered. "He's . . . he's coming,"

"Everyone, let's get to that shed over there," Azusa yelled, motioning toward a large shed located near the trees. "Hurry!" She grabbed Mio's arm, trying to pull her along.

"Wh . . . what are we gonna do," Mio said, her face pale.

"We're all going to shoot that thing, Mio-senpai," Azusa replied. "We're all going to have to shoot that thing."

Yui fired wildly behind them, at the zombies trying to chase them. Mugi half-carried, half-dragged Ritsu with her.

_"Hrrraaaaaaargh!"_

_Crash!_

_Boom!_

"Hurry! He's . . . at the . . . house!" Ritsu gasped. Azusa stared at the house for a split second.

"Guys, line up! Line up!" She yelled. "Face the house!"

"Do it!" Mugi echoed.

_Crash!_

The wall of the house _exploded_ outward in a cloud of splinters and plaster.

_Crash!_

_"Raaaaargh!"_

Wood and debris flew toward them, and a monstrous, hulking, figure stood in the massive hole it'd knocked into the wall. Half naked, with pink, blistered skin, the tank pounded its chest with its fists and roared again.

"Light it up!" Ritsu yelled.

Gunfire lashed at Azusa's ears. Acrid gun smoke, and the fiery heat of their weapons, assaulted her nose and eyes. The tank lumbered toward them, in between the flashes of flame from her muzzle. Blood and bits of tissue exploded from the monster's body, seeming to do little to slow it down.

_"Rooooooar!"_

The ground shook beneath her feet. There was a horrible screech of rending metal and wood as the tank knocked down one of the pillars supporting the awning Ritsu, Mugi, and Yui had once sheltered beneath.

_BAM!_

Azusa was suddenly showered in splinters and dust, as the tank hurled the pillar at them, smashing through the roof of the shed behind them.

"The trees!" She screamed. "Head for the trees! Keep shooting!" She lunged away from the shed, trying to run, trying to keep her sights parked on the tank.

_Crack-crack-crack-crack!_

Her rifle bucked wildly as she unloaded on the tank. She'd learned where the fire selector switch was, and she let the tank taste full-auto fire. The tank turned, knuckle walking toward them. Blood streamed down its bare torso in sheets, but it glared at them with undiminished hatred.

_"Yeeeeearrrrrrrrgh!"_

The tank howled defiance at them, stopping at a section of smashed wall. It grunted, picking it up . . . lifting it high overhead. With a grunt, it threw it at them.

_Crash!_

She was showered with gravel, dirt, and dust. Her eyes watered and burned.

"Uiiiiiii!" Yui screamed. It was a raw, tormented, sound that cut right to Azusa's soul.

Ui was down. Facedown in the dirt. Unmoving.

"Yui-chan! Don't stop now!" Mugi screamed. "Keep shooting! Kill it! Kill it!"

"Ui," Azusa moaned, tearing her eyes away. Forcing herself to shoot at the tank coming at them. Coming to kill them all.

_Click!_

Empty!

Azusa's eyes darted down. One more magazine! Up . . . the tank was coming. Closer, and closer. They locked eyes, garnet on blood-red. The tank turned toward her . . . she was gonna be next. Gamely, she made a grab for her last magazine.

_BAM! BAM! BAM!_

The tank stopped. Azusa snatched the magazine free. She fought her own trembling hand, trying to force the magazine home.

"Uiiiiii!" Yui yelled.

_BAM! BAM!_

"Don't stop, Onee-chan!"

_That was Ui!_

_Click!_

The magazine was rammed home.

The tank paused. Torn between the group of survivors shooting it from the woods, and the one lying on her back, blazing away with the revolver in her hands.

Azusa's rifle barked and heaved in her hands. She backed away, shooting at the tank as she did so. Shot by shot, she'd make them all count.

"Canal!" Someone cried out. Azusa stopped, an unwanted image slashing into her mind. There was an irrigation canal behind the trees. They were trapped.

_"Roooooarrgh!"_

The tank turned back toward them, thundering toward them. It knew it too.

"No you don't!" Mugi screamed. "You won't get them!" She dashed toward the tank, feeding shells into her shotgun.

_Crash!_

The tank knocked her back with a massive, meaty, fist. She smashed into the trunk of a tree, but staggered forward.

_Boom! Boom! Boom!_

The tank staggered, its face a fleshy ruin. It spat blood and drool. Its attention was all on Mugi, but Mugi was done reloading.

_Boom! Boom! Boom!_

Azusa shook herself free of her shock, raising her rifle.

_Crack! Crack! Crack!_

It was over. The tank sank to its knees, pitching forward into the brush.

"Ui!" Yui shouted, already jumping over the tank.

"Yui-senpai!" Azusa gasped, racing after her. They both reached Ui's side at the same time.

"Ui!" Azusa said. "Are . . . you . . . "?

"I'll be fine," Ui replied, coughing. "Just . . . help me up, Azusa, Onee-chan. "Did . . . did either of you see where my rifle landed?"

"He hit you with a _wall_," Yui gasped.

"I . . . got lucky," Ui said. "It just stunned me . . . nothing feels broken."

Azusa sighed with relief as she and Yui got Ui between them, lifting her to her feet.

"I see your rifle," she said, as she spied the black shape of a rifle amongst splintered wood and shattered drywall.

Behind them, Mugi staggered, her arms around both Mio and Ritsu's shoulders.

"Mugi-senpai!"

"I . . . I'm fine," Mugi gasped. "Just . . . just need to catch . . . my breath . . . hurts to . . . breathe."

Azusa frowned, looking around. They were clear of zombies, for the moment, but she knew it wouldn't last.

"Hey . . . Azusa," Ritsu said. "So . . . which one of you . . . got the tank?"

"H . . . how can you be thinking of something like that right now?"

"I think Azu-nyan got it . . . it fell down after she shot it," Yui replied.

"B . . . b . . . but Mugi-senpai . . . "

"Azusa . . . chan," Mugi said. "I . . . don't think I could've . . . reloaded in time . . . again . . . he's yours."

Azusa looked at all of them, and then shook her head.

"No . . . no he isn't," she said. "We all did it . . . together."

"Together," Ritsu echoed. "Okay . . . okay then. Well . . . good job . . . all of us."

They looked around at each other. Their faces were liberally coated with grime, and their clothes were dusty and liberally sprinkled with bits of wood and gravel.

"We . . . look like zombies," Azusa said.

"Well," Yui said. "I've always loved my Azu-nyan's brains."

"Y . . . Yui-senpai!"

"Nothing a . . . good shower . . . won't fix," Ritsu added.

"Yeah! That helicopter's coming soon, right?" Mio said. "We'll . . . we'll be out of here soon, right!"

"Yeah!" Ritsu and Yui replied, in unison.

"Yeah," Azusa echoed, unenthusiastically. Her eyes met Mugi's, and a look was exchanged.

_"Rooooooaaaar!"_

Azusa's blood turned to ice.

"Guys . . . whatever we had to take out that tank . . . hope we got more where that came from . . . 'cuz I think I just heard another."

_Thump-thump-thump-thump!_

_"Hrrrraaaaaaarrr!"_

"I," Azusa's mouth was dry. "I'm down to my last . . . ten bullets."

"Ui," Mugi said. "Are you . . . okay to . . . shoot?"

"Yeah," Ui replied. Mugi unslung her shotgun, and her knapsack, pushing them into Ui's hands.

"Give . . . Azusa-chan . . . your magazines. It'll . . . kick . . . but just . . . keep a firm grip on it."

"R . . . right," Ui replied, staring down at the shotgun.

_Thump-thump-thump-thump!_

"Guys," Yui said. "I think that's the helicopter."

Between the trees, Azusa saw movement. She looked up and . . . _there_ . . . a vivid red shape, against the backdrop of oily black smoke.

"There's a bridge over the canal," Ui said. "C'mon, let's go!"

They staggered through the brush, along the edge of the canal. The helicopter thundered over them, pivoting overhead, headed for the field across the canal.

_Crash!_

_"Yeeeearrrrgh!"_

The tank was somewhere behind them. Crashing through rows of dried stalks. There was more screaming, more grunting, and more howling. The tank was bringing friends . . . _lots_ of friends.

"H . . . hurry," Azusa shouted. She lunged, catching Ritsu as she stumbled, almost pulling herself, Mugi, and Mio down.

"Th . . . thanks," Ritsu gasped. "Ain't . . . done yet."

_"Survivors!"_ An amplified voice boomed out. _"I'm setting down now. Hurry up!"_

"Limping . . . fast as . . . we can," Ritsu muttered next to Azusa. They staggered, stumbling across the bridge. Azusa dared to look behind them. A horde of zombies was running toward them. Behind them, the monstrous shape of a tank thundered and galloped across an open field. Suddenly bodies were being flung into the air, knocked to either side, as the tank forced its way through the horde.

"Run!" Azusa screamed. "Run!"

"Trying," Mugi gasped. Ui and Yui were first across the bridge.

_BAM!_

The shotgun in Ui's arms thundered. Yui's SMG chattered alongside. As Azusa lurched over the bridge, she ran for them.

"Yui-senpai!" She said. "Go . . . go help Mugi-senpai and Ritsu-senpai!"

Yui looked at her, and then at Ui. Jerkily, she nodded, taking off. Azusa lifted her rifle to her shoulders, firing again and again. Zombies pitched forward and fell, but the tank kept coming.

_Click!_

"My bag!" Ui yelled. "Hurry!"

"Right!" Azusa shouted, reaching into the handbag at Ui's side. Her hand wrapped around a rifle magazine, and she yanked it free. She, somehow, fumbled it home, taking aim at the tank.

_Crack! Crack!_

_"Rooooooaaaar!"_

The tank turned toward Azusa with a start.

_"Get in the chopper!"_ The amplified voice boomed out behind her.

Azusa flipped the selector switch, unloading on the incoming zombies.

"Ui! Let's go!"

"Right!"

Both girls stumbled back from the edge of the canal, sprinting for the helicopter, being whipped and sandblasted by the rotor wash.

_"Rooooooaaaar!"_ The tank's rage cut through the thunder of the helicopter's rotor. Azusa screamed as a zombie's body smashed into the dirt beside her, tumbling off to the side.

_"Get in the chopper! Get in the chopper! I can't hold her here much longer!"_

She jumped, somehow just landing inside the doors. Ui jumped in next to her, yanking her forward.

"All aboard!" Yui shouted.

A speaker somewhere crackled.

"Hang on, survivors! I'm taking off."

The floor beneath Azusa lurched and shook, the roar of the helicopter's engine picking up. She felt the helicopter spin, and she felt herself pressed into the floor as it clawed for altitude.

_BOOM!_

Azusa screamed, feeling herself picked up off the floor, rolling toward the yawning gray sky. There was nothing to stop her; she was going to go over . . .

"I got you, Azu-nyan!" Strong arms wrapped around her knees, and Azusa's head whipped toward the door. Her rifle slid out, but now she could grab hold of the ledge, watching the gun fall to the earth below. Below, zombies swarmed around the field, running aimlessly. In the middle of it all, the tank glared up at them, shaking its massive arms. There was a screeching, mechanical howl Azusa hadn't heard before . . . but that didn't matter . . . what mattered was that, for now, they were safe.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<br>**- So ends this arc of _Left 4 Moe._ Nobody died . . . this time (except for Jun.)  
>- Yes, I've been using actual locations for <em>Left 4 Moe.<em> Certainly, there were some (okay, a lot of) liberties taken, being that I don't live in Japan, and most of my location scouting was done with Google Maps. I read that K-On! was meant to take place north of Tokyo. How far north wasn't made very clear, and the anime doesn't help, since all the locations in the anime are clearly from around Kyoto. So, I picked Sendai and ran with it.  
>- K-On! and Left 4 Dead both take place well before the whole Fukushima nuclear debacle. So, no radioactive mutant zombies for the next arc. The next arc, however, will feature original characters (you have been warned) + a couple from the series that <em>haven't<em> died yet. And, I assure you, they won't be zombies.  
>- The Japanese special operations forces do employ 12 gauge shotguns. Fortunately for Mugi. Why were they there? Getting things ready for the bombing run.<br>- Mio's favorite dessert is, apparently, a kind of chocolate cake. Hence Ritsu's quip about chocolate helicopters.


	14. Chapter 13

**Dead Empty****:  
><strong>_It's even worse than it appears, but it's all right._

"I _knew_ that whole helicopter business was sketchy," Mio said, hugging her knees as they stared at the burning wreck of the helicopter.

"Well, Mio," Ritsu said, laying a hand on her shoulder. "At least . . . at least I didn't have to shoot the pilot . . . this time . . . right, Azusa?"

Azusa nodded. She felt numb.

"I . . . wish we could've saved him," she finally said, staring into the flames. That tank had nailed the helicopter with something as they were making their escape. It had been a _rough_ landing.

"Yeah," Ui echoed, looking through Yui's pack.

"I didn't know that stuff could burn so fast," Yui added.

"Well," Ritsu said, leaning gently agaisnt Mio. "At least . . . we all got out alive. We . . . need supplies, though."

That, too, was true, Azusa thought, looking away from the burning helicopter. Only Yui got out with everything she had with her. The only thing anyone else had were the clothes on their backs and some weapons.

_Crackle! Pop! Pop! Pop!_

The sound of ammunition cooking off reminded Azusa that they didn't have _many_ weapons. So too did her empty hands.

"Does . . . anybody . . . even know where we are?" Ritsu said, absentmindedly rubbing Mio's shoulders.

"Away from wherever we used to be," Mio muttered.

"If I had another map, I could probably figure it out," Ui replied, zipping up Yui's pack. "But, I really think that, wherever we are, we should get away from _here._ We've probably attracted . . . attention."

"Y'know . . . she's right," Ritsu said, standing up. "C'mon Mio . . . means you too . . . you've got our only rifle now."

"Aww," Yui replied. "But Ui and I still have _our_ weapons too."

"In your case . . . not reassuring . . . Hirasawa-san," Ritsu said. "And . . . that shotgun's Mugi's."

"Not . . . until . . . I can get some pain pills," Mugi said, lifting a hand.

"Pills . . . that'd be good. I'm not dead yet . . . but not exactly healthy," Ritsu added.

"And something to eat," Yui said. "I'm hungry . . . and I know you burn a lot of energy too, right, Mugi-chan?"

Azusa looked at Yui again. Something had changed in her. The delivery wasn't as energetic as it would've been . . . she shook it off, turning away from the burning helicopter.

"Food and medicine would be good," she said. "And . . . something else to wear," she added. The grime looked to be embedded in her clothes. "First, though, we really need to find water."

The others nodded. They had just one canteen between them now.

"Brings us back . . . to where are we?" Ritsu said. "Anyone see anything while we were in the air?"

"I think we passed a town that should be north of us, and . . . I think I saw a lot of city south of us, but we were kinda going down at the time, so I'm not really sure," Ui replied, after several moments.

Azusa looked around, for what felt like the first time. They'd come down square in the middle of more farmland, nestled in the floor of a broad valley. Low mountains, golden with autumn colors, rose up from either side of the valley, with scattered buildings nestled up against them.

"South gets us closer to Tokyo," Yui said. "We should go south."

"Lots of city . . . maybe more supplies that way," Ritsu rubbed her chin.

"And m . . . m . . . more z . . . zombies," Mio said in a tiny voice.

"We're closer to the town north of us than the city south of us," Ui mused. "We should head north _first,_ to look for supplies, and then continue south."

"Not up . . . for a lot of walking," Mugi added. Azusa turned and faced south.

"Okay guys," she said. "Before we pick north or south, let's first pick left or right."

"Huh?"

"Azu-nyan?"

"There's buildings on either side of the valley. Buildings mean roads," Azusa replied. "It'll be easier to walk on the roads, and maybe we'll find something we can use."

Her friends fell silent, looking at each side of the valley.

"It looks there's more houses to the right," Ritsu said, slowly and carefully. "Easier to find things."

"Like zombies," Mio replied. "I'd . . . rather go left."

"I'm sorry . . . Mio-chan," Mugi said. "But . . . this really hurts. Better to . . . rest indoors . . . than out. I say . . . right."

"I'm with Ritsu-senpai and Mugi-senpai," Ui added.

"And _I'm_ fine with whatever you decide, Azu-nyan," Yui said, tilting her head. Azusa nodded.

"Right it is, then."

* * *

><p>Mugi sat on the guard rail, with her arms around Ritsu's and Yui's shoulders.<p>

"This . . . is doing . . . nothing . . . for my . . . endurance," she gasped.

"Hey," Ritsu replied. "You'll be just . . . fine . . . ohhhhh, my head's starting to hurt."

Azusa looked back over the fields they'd come from, back at the inky trail of smoke rising from the wrecked helicopter. It, somehow, looked far away.

"I think there are railroad tracks across the road," Ui said, cradling Mugi's shotgun in her arms.

"Yeah," Azusa replied, looking to the south. "I can see roads leading under them."

"Looks like a lot of houses . . . past that," Ritsu added. Mio looked up and down the road in mute, nervous, silence.

"It's quiet," Azusa said. "Like, really quiet."

"Maybe everyone got out of here," Yui replied.

"Or, maybe . . . maybe they're all zombies, and they're waiting for us," Ritsu suggested. Mio whimpered softly, but did nothing else.

"Get serious, Yui-senpai," Azusa snapped. "You too, Ritsu-senpai."

"But . . . I am," Yui replied. "I mean, I guess, there _have_ to be places where they got everyone out. Too many places in all of Japan for it to be any other way."

Azusa bit her lip, staring down the road. There were a lot of abandoned cars, but most of them had been pushed off the road.

"Maybe, Yui-senpai," Azusa finally added. "Anyway . . . we . . . we should keep moving. Are you up to it, Mugi-senpai?"

Mugi nodded, forcing herself up.

"Let's go," she said, her voice weak.

Azusa nodded, frowning. She had Yui's SMG slung over one shoulder. Yui couldn't use it, not if she was going to help Mugi; but it wasn't like Azusa would be very good with it either.

"Azusa," Mio said.

"Mio-senpai?"

"Are . . . are you okay," Mio continued.

"Yes," Azusa replied, looking at Mio. She looked pale, but, at least she'd shaken off the urge to curl up and hug her own knees. Azusa didn't know how long that'd last, but she felt she should do her best to encourage it.

"Mio-senpai," she said reaching up, and only managing to put her hand on Mio's shoulder.

"Wh . . . what is it, Azusa?"

"I'm . . . proud of you, for doing so well, Mio-senpai."

"It's . . . it's nothing," Mio replied. "I don't . . . I don't even know how I'm doing it!"

"Just keep doing it, Senpai," Azusa said, smiling. Soon, they reached the little road leading to a tunnel under the railroad tracks. The tunnel mouth looked so forbiddingly dark . . . surely, the perfect place for a special zombie ambush.

"Over, or through," she said, looking back.

"The banks are pretty overgrown, Azusa," Ui immediately replied. "We should just go through the underpass. I'll lead, if you stay with me."

Azusa pressed her lips together for a moment, and then nodded.

"Mio-senpai? Stay back with Mugi and the others."

Mio nodded abruptly, and Azusa started up the path with Ui. She tightly clutched the absurdly small SMG, marveling at how she found herself wishing for a bigger gun.

"I see something, Azusa," Ui said, ahead of her.

"What? What is it . . . Ui! Wait up!" Azusa said, as Ui sprinted up the path, to the entrance of the tunnel. Already, Ui was reaching to turn on the flashlight taped to Mugi's shotgun.

"What do you think this means?"

"Huh," Azusa replied, reaching Ui's side. She had her light on what looked like a crude drawing of a house enclosing a cross. Beneath it, was a spray-painted arrow, pointing to the other end of the tunnel.

"It's a sign of some sort," was all Azusa could think of. She turned away for a moment, waving the others up.

"Well, it looks like the kind of cross you find on hospitals and ambulances," Ui mused. "Maybe it's pointing the way to an evacuation center?"

Azusa furrowed her brow, shaking her head. "I'd think the military would do better than a spray-painted sign like this. I dunno, it could've been left by other survivors."

Ui tilted her head to one side, examining the sign. Yui, Mugi, and Ritsu appeared at the tunnel entrance, followed by Mio.

"What's this?" Ritsu asked.

"Looks like a sign left by other survivors," Ui replied.

"Well . . . what are we waiting for? Let's follow that sign," Ritsu suggested.

"But we're not sure where it goes, Ritsu-senpai," Azusa replied. Ui had a point, maybe the sign pointed to a safe place. But, then again, signs could be used to _warn_ too.

"Well, it leads . . . out of this tunnel," Ritsu said. "C'mon, let's go."

She couldn't really argue with that. They rushed through the tunnel, only to find no zombies waiting on the other side. Just more, oppressive, silence.

"This is kinda relaxing, don't you think?" Ui said, looking up into the mountains. "We haven't seen any infected since we crashed."

"Still gotta find supplies," Ritsu replied, adjusting her bandana.

"We could try that house right up the road," Yui said.

"I don't know," Azusa replied, shading her eyes with her hand. "I think I see something painted on the wall facing the road . . . and all the windows look broken."

"Oh! You're right, Azu-nyan," Yui said, standing behind her. "It looks . . . like that thing painted on the tunnel wall."

"Huh," Azusa said, starting up the road. The others fell in behind her. "It is," she said. "Another 'house' with a cross in it, with an arrow below it . . . this one pointed south."

"So . . . we keep following these signs? Or . . . we strike out on our own?" Ritsu asked.

"South, Ricchan," Yui replied.

"Signs are better than stumbling blindly, don't you think?" Ui added.

Azusa nodded.

"Ui's right," she said. "We'll follow these signs . . . at least until we can get our hands on a map."

* * *

><p>The harsh, overwhelming, sound of flies buzzing greeted them; as did a pervasive, gut-wrenching, stench. Azusa stumbled back, clutching her hand to her face, her eyes darting back and forth across scattered, bloated, decaying corpses.<p>

"Don't think . . . everyone got the word to get out," Ritsu said, gagging.

They stumbled out the doors, into the still air outside. Gagging, coughing, wheezing, and retching.

"They . . . they tried to hold out," Mugi gasped. Azusa nodded, trying not to vomit. The building had been an agricultural cooperative. Apparently, some townspeople had tried to use it to hold out against a zombie horde . . . and had failed spectacularly.

"No . . . supplies to be had . . . here," Ritsu said. "You were right . . . Mio."

Mio didn't even acknowledge her, as she was hunched over on her hands and knees, wiping her lips.

Azusa saw what Mio had done, and couldn't hold back any longer. The sound of vomit splattering against pavement was all she could hear, and misery was all she could feel. It seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up. Surely, they might've had something stored that they could eat, right?

As it turned out, the side-trip had been a terrible idea. Now she had _no_ nutrition in her, and no idea where her next meal was coming from.

"Azu-nyan," Yui said behind her. Azusa could feel her warm hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"I'll . . . I'll be fine," Azusa lied. "Just fine. Never . . . better," she took a deep breath. "I could use some water."

"You can have some of mine," Yui said, starting to reach for her backpack.

"Onee-chan!" Ui said. "We have to save that . . . it's all we've got right now."

"But Azu-nyan . . . "

Azusa held up her hand. "It's fine, Yui-senpai," she said, spitting. "I . . . will keep until we find enough water for all of us." She moaned miserably anyway. It was a nasty, nasty, taste she had in her mouth.

"Let 'em have it," Ritsu said. "They need it more . . . than I do right now."

"Are you sure, Ritsu-senpai?" Ui replied. "You lost a lot of blood when that . . . thing attacked you."

"And they . . . threw up all their water," Ritsu said, shaking her head. "Give Azusa and Mio a drink."

"Azu-nyan can even have my share," Yui added.

Azusa shook her head vigorously. "No, Yui-senpai! We all need to keep as hydrated as we can."

Yui waved her off. "I'll be fine," she said. "I'm sure we'll find a vending machine, or something, around here."

"Your enthusiasm is admirable, Yui-senpai," Azusa replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Ugh, I'm starting to sound like Ritsu-senpai," she added, even as she took the offered canteen. She uncapped it and took a drink, swirling the water around inside her mouth. All that seemed to do was evenly distribute the taste of vomit, but she managed to choke it down anyway.

"Thank you, Ui," she said, handing the canteen back. Ui offered it to Mio, who looked no more happy than Azusa was, but took the canteen anyway. Azusa stared at the building, feeling her eyes starting to burn. They were all so hopeful when they first saw it. Now . . .

She shook her head, spitting again. They'd just have to keep going south . . . following those signs. They'd seen a few more of them, all pointing south.

"Let's . . . keep moving," she managed to say. _I really hope it gets better,_ she thought.

* * *

><p>"Will you look at that . . . another school . . . we seem to be hitting a lot of these," Ritsu marveled, looking up at the broad expanse of dingy white that lay before them. The last sign they'd found, sprayed onto the street just ahead of a crosswalk, pointed right at the school.<p>

"I think this is supposed to be a . . . safe . . . house," Azusa replied, looking up from an FDMA poster they'd taken from a telephone pole. On it, were listed things one was supposed to do to construct a shelter to ride out the epidemic. A so-called 'saferoom.'

"Safe . . . house?" Ritsu replied. "How . . . do you figure?"

"I got it!" Yui said. "The signs all look like houses with a cross in them! Which has to mean safe house!"

"Ohh!" Mugi said, wincing. "Good . . . point . . . Yui-chan!"

"Doesn't . . . doesn't look that safe to me," Mio said, motioning to the small parking lot separating the school from the road. A couple of police cars formed a crude barricade that'd served to stop everyone from trying to mob the parking lot, as evidenced by the long line of parked cars they'd walked past.

"They're all . . . dead, Mio," Ritsu replied. There were the corpses of zombies in the parking lot. Congealed, blackened, blood was splattered and pooled all across the pavement.

"So are the p . . . p . . . police," Mio shot back.

"Well, then . . . that makes this . . . easier," Ritsu replied, picking her way to the dead policemen slumped against their cars.

"Ritsu-senpai!" Azusa exclaimed, seeing Ritsu kneel next to a dead policeman, going through his overcoat. She looked back at Azusa, holding up a hand. In it, she held five .38 Special shells in a plastic holder of some sort.

"Five more," Ritsu said, pocketing the shells.

"What . . . are you doing, Ritsu-senpai!" Azusa stood, shocked at what she was watching Ritsu do.

"What . . . does it look like, Azusa?" Ritsu replied. Her voice was still softened by the combined effects of exhaustion and concussion, but her expression was unapologetic. "They . . . don't need it anymore." She came up with another five shells, started to shuffle over to the next dead officer, and then fell back on her rump.

"Ricchan!" Yui and Mugi said, at the same time.

"I . . . " Ritsu replied, just as Azusa reached her side. "I'll be . . . fine. Just a little . . . dizzy, that's all." Her eyes focused on Azusa's. "Help me," she said.

Azusa bit her lip, looking at the bullets in Ritsu's hand.

"Help you . . . with that?"

"Yeah," Ritsu replied. "Do what we can . . . to survive," she added.

Azusa stared at Ritsu, then at the dead policeman. Was this what she'd be reduced to? Grave robbing?

_"Liars in green,"_ Jun's voice echoed.

_"Hraaaaaaaargh!"_ The tank's furious bellow raised goosebumps all over her body.

"Sorry," Azusa whimpered. She then closed her eyes, and reached into the pockets of a dead man.

"There's another sign pointing to the main doors," Ui said from somewhere ahead of her. "I think we're supposed to go inside."

"Inside," was Mio's incredulous reply. Azusa's fingers wrapped themselves around a couple of somethings that felt like the bullet holders that Ritsu had found. She tried not to think about how cold that little space felt.

"You better, Ricchan," Yui said somewhere off to Azusa's side.

"Yeah," Ritsu replied. Azusa withdrew the shell holders, setting them down on the ground. "Not . . . dizzy anymore . . . Azusa, don't lose those."

"R . . . right," Azusa's body tensed, and she snatched up the shell holders, stuffing them in her pockets. There was another thing she'd have to try not to think about. She forced her hand back into the dead man's coat. His body felt taut from the bloat of decay. She was really glad, at that moment, that her stomach was empty.

She looked around the dead men. _There,_ just behind him, was his revolver. She picked it up, looking it over. There were three unfired rounds inside it, so she tucked the gun away, and then put her hands together and rubbed vigorously, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Azu-nyan?"

"I'm done here, Yui-senpai," Azusa replied, lifting herself to her feet. Yui looked at her, her expression uncertain. She then tilted her head and smiled.

"As long as you're not done-done," Yui said.

"Huh," Azusa replied, before shaking it off and turning to the others.

"Ui?"

"Yes, Azusa-chan?"

"So the next sign points inside the school?"

"Mhm," Ui nodded, motioning to the main doors. There, in blaze-orange paint, was another 'safehouse' sign.

"Did you see anything inside?"

"Nothing moving," Ui replied. "Of course, that doesn't mean there aren't any infected in there."

"Right," Azusa made an unhappy noise. She looked around. The school was backed up against the mountains, and there were a lot of trees up there. Already, her imagination was starting to fill those woods with hordes of the shambling undead. "It'll be . . . safer inside," she said. _Well, relatively, anyway._ "Let's just go in."

The others nodded, and she hurried over to Ui's side. Together, they stepped through the broken main doors, into the darkened hallways of the school. Azusa felt herself sigh with relief. There were dead bodies, yes, but they were all zombies. It looked nothing like the school that her and Mugi spent the night in.

"Azu-nyan! Another sign!" Yui said, pointing with a flashlight. Azusa looked, and there was another 'safehouse' sign, spray-painted onto the wall in neon-orange paint.

"Another one . . . at the end of the hall," Mugi gestured toward the end of the hallway.

"I see it," Azusa replied, creeping ahead of the others. She had a feeling that the next sign they would find would be the one inside the whatever "saferoom" they were supposedly pointing to. "I'll go ahead and have a look." She looked at the others.

"Mugi-senpai? Are you up to coming with me?"

"I'll go . . . with you," Ritsu raised her hand.

Jun's dead senpai flashed through Azusa's mind. "Are you sure, Ritsu-senpai?"

"Yeah," Ritsu replied. "I'm totally up for it."

Azusa pursed her lips, looking at Ritsu. Ritsu smiled faintly, bringing a hand up to rustle Azusa's hair.

"C'mon, let's go."

* * *

><p>"Wow, there's a lot of graffiti in here," Azusa said.<p>

"Yeah . . . no kidding," Ritsu echoed, playing her flashlight over the walls of the room. It was the school's front office, and it was clear that someone had taken great pains to crudely reinforce the door.

Azusa picked her way through the mess of bottles and empty wrappers on the floor, turning on her own flashlight as she gazed at the scribbled messages on the wall.

_Akemi, Haruna ... I LOVE YOU!_

_Beware the ones that __cry_

_**SOS**_

_They're gonna bomb the city. If you can read this, STAY IN THE COUNTRY!_

_**NO**__ HOPE_

_Sakuragaoka High is __**overrun**_

_Sendai U is __**overrun**_

_University Hospital is _**overrun**_ - Which one? DUMASS! _

_It's 'dumbass', dumbass. LEARN TO SPELL! - __**WHO CARES?**_

_OnNaGumi -  
>Ayame, Akira, Sachi<br>__** IIIII IIIII IIIII  
><strong>__** IIIII IIIII IIIII  
><strong>__** IIIII IIIII IIIII  
><strong>__** IIIII IIIII I  
><strong>__**IIIII IIIII  
><strong>__**IIIII**** IIIII**_**  
><strong>_**I**_** -**~-~_ I ROCK!_

_^ LAME - I killed 77 ALL BY __**MYSELF!**_

_PHSYCO!_

_World's ending, and y'all are drawing pictures..._

"What . . . the hell!" Ritsu exclaimed behind her. "Azusa . . . turn around."

Azusa's head snapped around, her eyes locking on the bright spot of Ritsu's flashlight. As the wall closest to the door came into focus, her heart sank.

_**FUCK THIS!**_

_**WE TOOK **__**ALL**__** THE GUNS AND STUFF!**_

_**WHATCHA GONNA DO?**_

_**CRY SOME MORE!**_

Azusa swallowed, looking around. For the first time, she noticed just how _trashed_ the room was. It looked like a bomb had gone off in it. In one corner, there had been a water cooler, but it had been overturned and then shot full of holes.

"How could this," she started. "How could this . . . no . . . this is not happening . . . this is not happening . . . this is not happening."

"So much . . . for traditional Japanese values," Ritsu shook her head. "What do we do now, Azusa?"

Azusa stared at the wall, and then at Ritsu, and then around the room. So much focus on getting here, and now . . .

"I," she started, swallowing hard. "Let's look at the door."

"Okay," Ritsu murmured with a nod, looking at the floor.

Both girls carefully picked their way back to the open door. Azusa reached for it, pulling it shut, and then rattling it as hard as she could. It felt solid.

"Hey . . . you think this pipe might be good for something?" Ritsu said, picking up a length of iron pipe off the floor. Azusa looked at the pipe, and then at the door again. On the doorframe there were pieces of steel screwed in that looked like they'd hold the pipe.

"I think the door's still good," she said. Ritsu looked down at her.

"You thinking of . . . staying?"

Azusa reached in her pocket for her phone, turning it on. When it booted, she frowned at the time, and forced herself to take a breath when she saw how much battery she had left. She turned her phone off, and shoved it back in her pocket.

"It's . . . getting late," she finally said. "I don't think we should be outside after dark . . . and I think Mugi-senpai needs some rest."

"All true," Ritsu replied. "Still," she added, waving her hand in a wide arc.

Azusa nodded, feeling her eyes start to burn. She felt Ritsu put a hand on her shoulder.

"Let's . . . maybe see what the others think," Ritsu said, squeezing gently.

Azusa nodded again, still mute. Ritsu pulled the door open, stepping out into the hallway. Inside a minute, the others filed into the room.

"Azu-nyan," Yui said. "What's wrong?"

"It's all trashed," Azusa managed to say. Suddenly, Mio screamed, and they turned with a start.

"What is _that_?" Mio snapped, gesturing at the far wall.

"The reason . . . it's all trashed," Ritsu replied.

"Who . . . who would do such a thing?"

Mugi shook her head sadly, and Ui silently came to stand next to Yui and Azusa.

"So, guys," Ritsu said, after they stared in silence for several moments. "Wanna stay the night?"

"Ritsu!" Mio snapped. "L . . . look at this place! Look at the w . . . w . . . wall!"

"I know . . . I know," Ritsu replied. "It's . . . gonna be dark soon, and that door . . . it's totally zombie-proof." She pulled the door shut, and dropped the iron pipe across it. She then shook it as hard as she could and looked back at Mio.

"See?"

"But . . . but . . . that thing on the wall."

"Maybe . . . maybe we can clean up," Mugi said. "It's . . . not too bad . . . cleaning our storage room . . . was worse."

"But it's all . . . " Mio replied, casting horrified glances around the room.

"I know," Mugi said. "But . . . someone intended this to be something good . . . and someone decided to try to . . . ruin that."

"I get it, Mugi-senpai," Ui replied with a faint smile. "Still, it'll be a lot of work. Will you be up for it?"

Mugi nodded. "More than I'd be up for more . . . walking."

"Well," Mio said, trying to sound brave. "If we have to stay here . . . I'd . . . I'd rather it be cleaner than . . . this."

Ritsu looked thoughtful. She remembered spring cleaning, and she was never the first to volunteer to tidy up, but the saferoom demanded attention.

Her stomach rumbled, and she closed her eyes. They _still_ hadn't found anything to eat or drink, and the burst of energy that let her make the pitch for staying was fading. Replacing it was a swelling pain that felt like it was clawing its way out from the center of her head.

"Okay!" She said, pushing the thoughts from her mind. "Let's make this place . . . worth sleeping in, at least." She looked over at Azusa. "Right, Azusa?"

Azusa looked up, finding her senpais looking at her. Ritsu gave her a silent nod.

"Yes," she said. "Let's do this."

* * *

><p>A couple candles lit the room in dim, flickering light. Azusa looked around, impressed at what difference their work made. The trash was picked up, and they'd even found a few cans of spray paint elsewhere in the school, along with a few supplies. The message that had horrified them all was sprayed over as best as they could manage.<p>

"We did well . . . didn't we?" Mugi said.

"We did," Mio replied, a small smile on her face. "We so did," she added, her smile widening a little. Ritsu was slumped against her, with her eyes closed. Azusa frowned a little frown. Ritsu had been wiped out early with what she said was a _nasty_ headache.

"It was good work," Ui added.

"Azu-nyan," Yui said, her arms draped around Azusa. She felt surprisingly heavy; but Azusa was to tired to resist.

"My energy is gone," Yui said. "I need a recharge."

"I'm tired too, Yui-senpai," Azusa replied, trying to lift Yui's arms off her.

"No fun," Yui said, rocking back just a little. Suddenly, Azusa heard a little growl behind her. It was a noise she knew too well.

"I'm," Yui started.

"Don't you dare say it, Yui-senpai!"

" . . . so hungry," Yui said, slumping back against Azusa.

"She said it," Mio added miserably, looking down at her own stomach.

"Why did you say it, Yui-senpai?" Azusa turned back on Yui, fixing her in her stare.

"I've had nothing to eat all day," Yui replied. Azusa's eyes narrowed.

"Neither have I," she said, her tone sharp. "Neither have any of us!"

Her mouth snapped shut, but it was too late. The words had tumbled out, out of some dark, exhausted, corner of her brain; and now all eyes were on her.

"I . . . I'm sorry! But . . . but . . . " she said, forcing herself to exhale sharply, slipping out of Yui's arms.

"I'm with . . . Yui-chan," Mugi replied. "I'm starving. I just . . . I'm sorry, I burn a lot of energy."

"Will we find something to eat?" Mio said, as much to herself as to any of the others. "Or drink?"

Azusa's eyes snapped over to Mio. They had, maybe, half a small bottle of water each.

"Will . . . all of you . . . just shut up," Ritsu growled, forcing herself up. She rubbed her temples and groaned under her breath. "We'll . . . find something when it's light out . . . okay? But . . . ugh . . . can we . . . _please_ . . . talk about something else?"

"I'm sorry, Ricchan . . . Azu-nyan," Yui was the first to reply.

"I'm sorry for snapping," Azusa said. "It's . . . we've all had a long day. Ritsu-senpai is right . . . I know we'll find something tomorrow."

Mio nodded and murmured assent.

"We will . . . Azusa-chan," Mugi added. There were more nods from the others, and then the room sank into a sort of dejected silence; with each girl staring aimlessly at the floor.

"C'mon guys," Ritsu said. "You're . . . gonna kill me faster . . . than the zombies." She reached into her pocket, and pulled out something that glinted gold in the candlelight.

"Let's . . . have some music," she said, wiping her harmonica.

"I don't think I've ever seen you play that, Ritsu-senpai," Ui said.

"I'm sorry, I _still_ can't play the harmonica," Yui added, with a sudden, knowing, grin.

"I expect . . . no less," Ritsu replied. "How about . . . you get out Gitah?"

"That's not fair!" Mio said. "I . . . " she trailed off, her expression falling.

"Don't . . . don't sweat it," Ritsu said, laying a hand on Mio's shoulder. "You'll just . . . have to remember your bass . . . the next zombie apocalypse."

"Well," Yui replied, looking around.

"Go ahead," Mugi said. "I . . . don't mind."

Azusa blinked rapidly, her eyes bright. The talk of instruments dredged up unwanted images of her Mustang . . . of her home, overrun by the undead . . . and of parents she'd never see again.

"I," she said, her voice small. "I don't mind," she forced herself to say.

"Azu-nyan?"

Azusa rubbed her eyes, hoping to wipe away the tears before anyone could see.

"I'm fine," she said, the words falling out in a rushed lump of sound. "I'm fine . . . I'm fine." She suddenly felt Yui's arms around her, her senpai's warm body pressing against hers. With that, her self-control evaporated, and she collapsed in on herself, her body shaking with sudden sobs.

"I'm . . . sorry, Azusa," she barely heard Ritsu say. "I'm sorry . . . I brought it up."

"Azu-nyan," Yui said, squeezing tightly. "Azu-nyan . . . Azu-nyan-nyan . . . "

"Azusa, I'm sorry," Ritsu repeated. After several, long moments, she fell back, sprawling out on the floor. "I guess maybe . . . maybe . . . we should all . . . just get some rest," she said.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<br>**- Welcome to the next arc of _Left 4 Moe_. This chapter takes place immediately after the events of Chapter Thirteen. In it, I thought it would be interesting to explore some of the _other_ things that someone living through the zombie apocalypse might have to worry about.  
>- Especially the girls, and their (apparently) prodigious metabolisms.<br>- Yes, the college cast does live. They even left grafitti. Don't worry, they're not the ones who stole all the guns and trashed the saferoom.  
>- It's hard to format the graffitti correctly in this particular editor.<br>- Ritsu _does_ carry around a harmonica. We've only seen it twice, and we've never seen her actually _play_ it.  
>- Mio expresses a similar quickly acquired phobia in the movie as she does in the beginning of the chapter. No, it's not of helicopters.<p> 


	15. Chapter 14

**Dead Serious**:  
><em>When desperation grows.<em>

"Run away! Run away!" A man shoved Azusa to the side. Not missing a step, he kept on running. Azusa blinked, just in time to be shouldered aside by a woman and her two children.

"Why are you standing there?! She's coming!"

"Huh," Azusa replied. She was standing in the middle of a snow-covered street. Several more people ran by, their skin a golden brown, the color of gingerbread. She frowned, turning to run with the others, but stopped, leaning against a giant lollipop.

_Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!_

Azusa looked up at a multicolored sky, and saw the buildings were all the color of gingerbread, with windows outlined in bright primary colors.

"So delicious!" A voice boomed out over the city.

"Yui-senpai?"

The ground shook beneath her and she stumbled back, slipping on a patch of snowy frosting. As she stared up, a giant figure rounded the corner of a gingerbread skyscraper. The figure punched a giant hole in the skyscraper, reaching in to grab a fistful of gingerbread men and women; which she proceeded to stuff into her mouth.

"Yui-senpai!" Azusa screamed. "What are you doing!"

"Azu-nyan!" The giant Yui called out. "It's all delicious! And I'm gonna eat _every last bite!_"

Yui finished chewing on the gingerbread men, before reaching down to pluck the giant lollipop from the sidewalk. Just then, Azusa' stomach growled.

"Yui-senpai! Save some for me!"

* * *

><p>Ritsu watched Azusa's sleeping form.<p>

"Save some for me," Azusa murmured.

"Don't know what you're dreaming about," Ritsu gently rustled Azusa's hair with her hand, "but it sounds good."

She squeezed her eyes shut as waves of sudden pain broke over her head and the world started to spin. She'd woken up when her pills had worn off.

"What … is wrong with me," Ritsu said softly, gritting her teeth. "C'mon Ritsu, you can get through this."

The dizziness subsided, and the pain backed off to a dull throb.

"I," she started, taking a breath, "really hope it isn't the Flu."

"Yui-senpai, I'm … not into that kind of thing," Azusa muttered.

"You seem almost as restless as me," Ritsu said, crawling to Mio's side. She sat down, watching her as she slept.

"You're pretty cute when you're not running for your life."

Mio murmured something and curled up.

"Ricchan?"

Ritsu turned, her eyes settling on Mugi. She made her way over to the blonde.

"Did you just wake up?"

Mugi nodded quietly. "Yes. You?"

"I've been up a while now," Ritsu replied. "Can't sleep anymore … how are you feeling?"

Mugi took a deep breath, held it for a few moments, and then slowly exhaled.

"Better," she said. "I'm still really sore, but it's not as bad as yesterday."

"Good, good," Ritsu replied.

"You?"

"Eh, I'm hanging on," Ritsu lied. Mugi eyed her, and then sighed.

"If I had water, I could make everyone tea," she said.

"Hey, we'll find something today," Ritsu replied, smiling gamely. "I'm sure of it."

"Are you sure?"

Ritsu nodded quickly. "Yes, yes, I'm sure. We will … lots of good things. Water … sweets … real food."

"Like yakisoba!"

"Yeah," Ritsu replied, just as her stomach rumbled. "Ugh, not good," she added, closing her eyes. "I'm sorry, Mugi."

"It's okay, Ricchan," Mugi replied, after a heavy pause. "I … I'm sure it's what's on everyone's mind right now."

Ritsu nodded slowly. "Wonder how much time's left till morning?"

"Don't you have your phone?"

Ritsu shook her head again. "Mine's dead. Wasn't thinking of charging the battery when all this started … maybe we should add watches to the list of things we need, eh?"

Mugi nodded. She stared off into the darkness.

"My father has a collection of watches," she said, falling silent for several long moments. "I wonder how they are doing … my parents, I mean." Another pause. "They were in Finland when all this started."

Mugi fell silent again, her gaze dropping to the floor in front of her. She took in a shaky breath, and Ritsu saw the faintest glint of wetness trace its way down her cheeks. Her mouth worked wordlessly, and she started to slowly rock back and forth.

"I haven't heard from them," she finally said, her voice raw and unsteady. "Not my mother, and not Father. I," she clenched her hands in her lap. "Ricchan, what if … "

"Mugi," Ritsu replied, her voice husky. "Mugiiii," she repeated, throwing her arms around the other girl. Mugi shook, leaning into Ritsu.

"Hey," Ritsu said, her voice breaking. "Remember how bad phone service got? If it was that bad here in Japan," she took a deep breath. "Just imagine how bad the rest of the world must've been." The rest of her breath emerged as a shaky rattle, and she felt her own eyes burning.

"Oh Ricchan," Mugi moaned, wrapping Ritsu in a sudden bear hug, both girls collapsing to the floor.

* * *

><p>"It sure is dark this morning," Ui said, as they stood outside the school.<p>

"This might not be good," Mio echoed, looking up at a sky packed horizon-to-horizon with dark, pregnant, clouds. Her eyes darted back to the others, somehow not meeting Ritsu's.

"Gitah," Yui said, glancing up at the sky. A gentle breeze picked up, bearing the scent of impending rain.

"What are we going to do?" Mugi asked. "I don't think walking in the rain is going to help my ribs."

"We could hang out here until the weather gets better," Yui replied. "Stay nice and dry."

"Dry … sounds good," Ritsu said. "Ugh, at least I know why … I feel so terrible."

Azusa looked at the others, and then up at the sky.

"We can't stay here, guys," she said. "There's nothing to eat or drink here."

"If we get soaked and cold without any energy to warm up, though," Ui mused. "I don't know."

"And … maybe I should find something to cover Gitah with."

"Maybe we can find something to catch the rainfall," Mio said, looking around.

"And what if it doesn't rain? Or it doesn't rain enough to give us a lot of water," Azusa said, raising her voice. "Then we've wasted a day, and tomorrow we'll be even _hungrier!"_

"Azu-nyan …"

"No," Azusa's eyes snapped to Yui's. "We can't afford to," she took a breath, "waste energy on doing things other than finding stuff for surviving!"

She froze, the sudden realization that all eyes were on her giving her goose bumps. She forced herself to take one breath, and then another.

"Hey … we're with you," Ritsu said, casting a glance to the others. "C'mon," she said, her voice momentarily faltering, "let's get out of here. Maybe, maybe we won't get wet."

"Yeah," Azusa replied, shaking her head quickly. "Yeah," she repeated. "We need to make finding food and water our top priority. After that, we can maybe start thinking of other things."

They left the school behind, slowly, reluctantly, as if shaking themselves out of a daze. Abandoned cars stretched out ahead of Azusa, down a road lined with dilapidated houses and dark vegetation. Silently, Ritsu followed just behind her, and she was grateful that her senpai seemed to be on-board with what she felt had to be done.

Her gut hurt, and not just from her gnawing, pervasive hunger. Yeah, the others irritated her sometimes … but it felt like she was lashing out much more since it all started.

_What's wrong with me?_ Azusa asked herself. No sound answered her, save the soft thumping of shoes hitting asphalt.

_What are they thinking about me? Right now? _ That was a voice from somewhere deep inside her head. _What's Yui-senpai thinking about me? What if … _

She swallowed hard, the pain of her parched throat momentarily silencing that inner voice. She didn't look back. She didn't dare look back. For the first time, she felt truly _afraid_.

* * *

><p>The rain caught up with them less than an hour later. They huddled under a bus shelter, across the road from the burnt-out wreckage of an Eneos service station. The stink of burning rubber still hung heavily in the air.<p>

"It looks like the rain is letting up from the south," Ui said, shielding her face with her hand.

"We'll get going again soon, then," Azusa replied, staring out at the dark shapes of houses that loomed from the rainy mist. Yui stood just outside the safety of the shelter, her face turned skyward, and her mouth wide open.

"Yui-senpai, what are you doing?"

"Trying to catch the rain," Yui replied. At least, that's what Azusa thought she said. It was hard to tell, as Yui remained in her sky-facing posture the whole time.

"Is it working," Ritsu said, holding Yui's guitar case.

Yui continued to stare skyward in silence, her mouth wide open. After a few more moments, she stepped back under the shelter and looked back at Ritsu.

"Nuh uh," she replied. "Still thirsty. And now … I'm cold."

Ritsu shook her head. "That's what you get … better not get the Flu doing that. If you did, well …"

"Ritsu-senpai!" Ui and Azusa yelled simultaneously.

"I was kidding," Ritsu shook her head quickly, looking from Ui to Azusa. "You know that, right, Yui?"

Yui bit her knuckle and looked down. "I don't know, Ricchan," she replied, her expression thoughtful. "What _**does **_happens if one of us, you know, gets the Flu?"

"No!" Mio said. "I don't want to think about it!"

_What would happen?_ Azusa thought. She closed her eyes, and the dead face of Jun's senpai leered back at her.

"Nothing good," she murmured.

"Azu-nyan?"

"Nothing," Azusa stammered. "I said nothing! I was just thinking."

"Lets talk about something else," Mio suggested plaintively. "Like, say, the weather? Think this rain is going to go on all day?"

"It _is_ strange," Mugi said, leaning against one of the posts holding up the shelter. "How we've all turned out to be immune, when so many people aren't."

"None of us got bit," Ritsu replied, closing her eyes. "That's how these things work. You get bit," she trailed off. "You become one of them."

They fell silent with that. Yui's question hung in the air, unanswered. By degrees, the sky became a less ominous shade of gray, and the rain faded into a light, persistent, drizzle.

Ritsu gently pushed Yui's guitar case into her friend's arms, and then put her arm around Azusa's shoulders.

"Think we should get moving again, Azusa?"

Azusa looked back at her and blinked rapidly, as though she'd been lost in thought.

"Yeah," she replied. "Let's get going."

* * *

><p><em>Splash. Splash. Splash.<em>

The rain kept falling from a dark gray sky. It was light, but steady and unrelenting.

They were all cold, and they were all wet. Nobody felt like speaking, so the only sounds that could be heard were the pattering of raindrops, and the splashing of feet through puddles on cold pavement.

They'd passed another service station. All the supplies had been picked clean save for a couple of umbrellas and enough plastic sheeting to fashion some crude ponchos.

They'd passed houses. The ones closest to the road all looked the same . . . broken windows and gaping doors. Nobody felt like going down the side roads to check out the others. The side roads would only take them into the dark foreboding mountains. South … south would carry them to civilization. South was where they would keep walking.

_Splash. Splash. Splash._

Someone's stomach growled. Bravely, they said nothing. Even Yui was uncharacteristically silent.

Ritsu stumbled wordlessly, barely catching herself. She grabbed Mio's arm, leaning heavily. The other girl momentarily stiffened up, and then slowly slipped her arm around Ritsu's waist.

Ui walked out in front, with Azusa. She stared at a small pocket map they'd found under the counter at the station. It was grungy, stained with oil and grease, and the smudgy fingerprints of untold numbers of service station mechanics. It was very old, but it was all they had.

Mugi brought up the rear of their sad little formation. She cradled her shotgun once more, though there was still pain in her blue eyes.

_Splash. Splash. Splash._

It was a long walk. Nobody knew when the end was going to be.

* * *

><p>"Now there's a sight I <em>wasn't<em> going to miss," Ritsu said. Silent nods answered her as they looked at what faced them. The road swelled into a large parking area. One that was barricaded by military and police vehicles. One that was now in their way. One that was infested with the milling, stumbling, undead.

"What are we going to do? Can we turn around?" Mio said, peeking out from behind a van. They'd been picking their way past abandoned cars parked bumper-to-bumper.

"We're on top of a bridge, Mio-senpai," Azusa replied. "And if we leave the road, it's going to be muddy.

"And there are some big buildings south of us," Ui added. "The map says there's a junior high school down there."

"So maybe there's a saferoom there too," Ritsu replied.

"What if it's like," Mio paused and swallowed. "Like the last one?"

"Then it'll be somewhere safe to spend the night," Azusa said, shielding her eyes with her hand. There looked to be a lot of buildings past the military checkpoint. "There's a lot of stuff there too," she mused. "There might be something to eat. Maybe."

"So hungry," Yui muttered.

Everyone nodded.

"But we've gotta get through _that_ first," Mugi said, pointing at the checkpoint with the muzzle of her shotgun. "And there are a lot of … zombies."

Ritsu rubbed her chin with her hand. The cold and damp were working to give her a terrific headache, but she'd fight through it. Somehow.

"If it's military," she started, closing her eyes for a moment. "Then there might be weapons there. And we could use some right now."

Azusa shot Ritsu a look, but said nothing. She was too tired to argue the point; and it was a _legitimate_ point. If they were going to be venturing into cities half-starved, simply shooting the zombies held a certain appeal over constantly running away from them.

"Yeah," Mio replied. "But, but, we first have to get past the infected to get them," she stammered.

Ritsu nodded. It was a slow, deliberate movement.

"I know," she said. "But we kinda don't have a choice, Mio."

"We do have a choice! We can backtrack and look for a way around!"

"Mio," Ritsu said, putting her hands on Mio's shoulders. "No. I'm sick and tired … of being sick and tired. I'm sick of walking in the rain, with nothing to show for it."

She turned around, looking at each of the others. Momentarily, she felt the world try to spin around her, but it passed.

"Let's just get this done," she said, reaching for her revolvers.

"Do you have a plan?" Mugi said.

"Yeah," Ritsu replied. "Any of you up for shouting? I'm not."

"You _want_ to attract their attention?" Azusa said, frowning.

Ritsu nodded. "Look at them, they're all penned in."

Realization dawned, as Azusa's eyes drifted across the checkpoint. "And they'll have to climb over the barricades to get to us," she replied.

"Keep it simple, right?"

"Yeah," Azusa replied. "I guess I'll do the yelling."

"My brave kitty," Yui said. "I've got your back."

Azusa frowned. "I'd rather have you where I can see you," she replied. "But … whatever, just be ready to hit them when they come over, Yui-senpai."

Yui nodded, unslinging her SMG. There was a rustle as other weapons were readied. Azusa started to reach for the revolver at her side, but at the last moment, stopped and grabbed her nightstick instead.

"Azusa," Ritsu said.

"I'm fine, Ritsu-senpai," Azusa replied, starting toward the checkpoint. She saw a tall, compact, van with broad glass windows stalled in the right lane and made her way over to it. Before anyone could say anything, she reared back and hit one of those windows as hard as she could.

_Crack!_

"Hey, uh, zombies!" She screamed, taking a step forward and winding up once more.

_Wham!_

"We're still alive over here! Come, come and get us!"

There were sudden grunts as the undead looked up, turning their heads toward the sudden noise. Others started to sit up, groggily rising to their feet, moaning softly. As recognition filtered into their fuddled minds, blackened teeth were bared and primal shrieks and screams were uttered.

"Game on," Ritsu murmured. They watched as the zombies scrambled toward the parked military trucks, police cars, and sandbags. Suddenly, one was up on top, reaching for the girls with claw-like hands.

_Bam!_

The zombie toppled back, bowling over several others. Others pushed past their writhing bodies, mounting the barricades. The air erupted with chattering gunfire and they flopped over the sandbags in sprays of deep crimson.

Scrambling figures appeared on top of the military trucks, clawing their way over. Still more were climbing over the bodies of the dead, sprinting toward the girls. Azusa had no time to reach for her gun before they were upon her.

_Crack!_

She swung her nightstick into the face of one, trying to back away while swinging wildly at another. Somehow one of her blows connected, and she was splattered with zombie blood.

All the while she heard the rhythmic snap of pistol fire. Saw windows shatter; sparks fly, and bodies fall. She somehow drove a zombie into the shattered window of the van, its head punching through.

Azusa screamed as one of them caught her, the fist to her side catching her off guard. Her leg collapsed as another kicked at her ankle and her fall was violently checked by the side of the van. She raised her arms, trying to fend off the blows.

She heard the Hirasawa sisters cry out, but it was muffled as a punch connected to the side of her head, and her world spun. Shapes rushed into her vision, swinging wildly. Other shapes were knocked back, sprays of red bright against the dark gray sky.

She stumbled away from the van, falling backward. The sudden shock of her landing somehow cleared her head and Azusa struggled to her knees. Just then, she saw a corpulent zombie, whose bare flesh was an expanse of swollen boils.

_Just like Jun!_

She opened her mouth to cry out.

_Boom!_

Mugi's shotgun spoke, and the zombie vanished in a tremendous blast. Hot bits of flesh and gore pelted her, and then all was silent.

"Azu-nyan! Azu-nyan!" Yui said, rushing to her side. "Are you okay?"

She hurt all over, but …

"Yeah," she managed. "Thanks, Yui-senpai … you saved me."

"You can praise me more, but Ui got to you first," Yui replied, looking away. "Let's get you back up."

"Yeah," Azusa echoed, stunned at Yui's humility. She shook her head, and grabbed the proffered hand. As Yui hauled her up, she looked into her senpai's eyes.

"I saw you there too, so thanks all the same," Azusa said, she managed a smile, though her cheek protested.

"Hey," Ritsu said, dropping an arm around Azusa's shoulder. "That was pretty dumb … getting surrounded with only a nightstick."

"But it was so cool how Azu-nyan just got their attention like that," Yui said. "And then we got them all!"

"Still, I think we need to find you another axe. You could use the reach," Ritsu said into Azusa's ear, squeezing her shoulders. "C'mon, let's go see if the military left us anything."

* * *

><p>"What do you make of this?" Ui said, motioning toward a tight knot of tall, pale, dead men. Their mouths were caked in blood and gore, and their eyes shone a dull yellow in the midday gloom.<p>

"They aren't Japanese," Azusa replied. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to kneel next to one of the dead men. They looked like Westerners in green military fatigues with a splotchy camouflage pattern.

"Americans?" Ritsu said, looking over one of their rifles.

Azusa examined one of their guns, frowning over the English printed on the side.

"I guess," she finally replied. "I wonder what they were doing here?"

"Dunno, but I guess that armor doesn't stop bites," Ritsu said. "Don't think we can use their rifles either," she added, turning the American rifle over in her hands. "I don't recognize how anything is laid out."

"Nodoka would've known," Azusa said, softly. Her hand clamped over her mouth, but the words were already out, hanging between them all in the damp air.

"It's okay, Azusa," Ui said, putting her hand on Azusa's shoulder. "We've all had thoughts like that."

"Good thing we don't have to," Mio said, her tone unusually bright. Ritsu's head swiveled back to her friend, and she decided it had something to do with the Japanese rifle Mio now cradled. There were plenty of those to go around too.

"I think we could use their magazines, though," Ui said, looking at Ritsu's gun. "They look the same size as the ones our rifles take."

"If only they'd left some _food_ behind," Yui said, pouting as she loaded cartridges into one of her SMG magazines.

The other sighed, looking down.

"At least we have water now, Onee-chan," Ui replied.

"And guns," Mio offered. Ritsu frowned at her tone.

"Yeah, there's something," she said. "Sure wish I knew how to use this one," she added, looking down at the rifle in her hands. "It's lighter than our rifles." She slung it over her back; maybe she'd figure it out later.

"I think we should get out of here soon," Ui said, looking around. "I'm sure the sound of gunfire carries."

Ritsu nodded quickly, and then exhaled when the world didn't start trying to spin. For the moment, she felt okay.

"Yeah. Let's grab what we can, and get going … besides, it looks like it might start raining again at any time."

* * *

><p>"This looks like the place," Mugi said, as they stood at the entrance to the parking lot of yet another school. A façade of dingy tan and shattered glass greeted them across a parking lot strewn with corpses. The stench of decay hung heavily in the air.<p>

"Ricchan, there's no 'saferoom' sign here," Yui said, her arms wrapped around Azusa. Azusa, for her part, was too weary to complain.

"Saferooms," Mio echoed, with the same tone she'd used to talk about helicopters.

"Look around," Ritsu replied. "Those military vehicles back there? That was a checkpoint. Which makes this an evac center. Evac centers mean supplies."

"But maybe we should find a saferoom," Mugi said. "The last one, all things considered, wasn't _bad_. And not all of them are going to be vandalized."

"It was bad enough," Mio said, pressing her lips together.

"How long should we keep walking in the rain?" Ritsu asked, leaning against one of the lampposts marking the opening to the parking lot. "It's just not letting up."

"We're not that far from where we killed all those zombies," Azusa said, looking up. "We could get stuck here fighting off more of them."

"If we kept walking, we'll run into the zombies making their way here," Ui replied. "And I don't think any of us are up for a running fight."

Azusa's stomach growled, as if to punctuate Ui's point. There was something about this place, though, that made her uncomfortable with the thought of staying.

"At the same time," she said, "Mugi-senpai is right. We should find a 'saferoom.' A place that's already barricaded. We might have to make our own here, and that won't be easy work."

"Azusa," Ritsu replied. "Don't you think it might be worth a quick look around?"

"Azu-nyan, it's cold and wet out here. We should dry off a little," Yui said behind her.

Azusa took a deep breath, and then let it out quickly.

"Okay. We'll have a quick look around. But we're not staying here," she said, turning back on Yui. "I mean it, Yui-senpai."

"Aww, but," Yui started to reply, but Azusa already turned back to Ritsu.

"We're going to be making it quick," she said.

Ritsu nodded quickly.

"All right … all right."

* * *

><p>It was spookily quiet inside the school. It was dark, damp, and the odors of sickness and rot clung to every surface. As their flashlights played up and down the hallway, the dim glow of zombie eye-glow greeted them, unmoving dead eyes staring at them, seemingly no less full of malice than they were in life.<p>

"Azu-nyan! This one doesn't look infected!" Yui said pointing down at a figure sprawled out on the floor. Blood pooled around the man, and he clutched a pistol in his outstretched hand.

"Neither do these two," Mugi called out, further down the hallway. Azusa picked her way between corpses and broken glass, to find the dead bodies of two more young men. Both of them had guns, and both had what looked like bullet holes in them.

"What the hell happened here," Ritsu murmured softly, looking up and down the hallway.

_It's not like that other school, is it? _Azusa thought. Her eyes found Mugi's, and the two girls exchanged a worried glance.

"I," she started to say.

"Azu-nyan! Guys!" Yui said. "Look here!"

Azusa's head snapped up, her eyes following the beam of Yui's flashlight. Along part of the wall, someone had taken the time to board up all the inside windows. They'd boarded up all the inside windows, _and_ a door at the end of the hallway.

"Hey," Ritsu said, coming to stand next to Azusa. "Is that a barricade I'm seeing?"

Azusa shot the other girl a look.

"Ritsu-senpai," she replied, her tone sharp. She looked away from the barricaded walls, back at the dead young men. Something was wrong here.

"_You get away from that door this instant!"_ A voice yelled.

"Yui-senpai!" Azusa shouted, lunging for the end of the hallway. She saw Yui frozen in the act of reaching for the barricaded door.

"Onee-chan!" Ui said. It astonished Azusa how quickly she'd brought her rifle up.

"I … I … I'm sorry," Yui said, stammering. "I wasn't … I wasn't going to open it. I just wanted to get a … closer look."

"_We don't care! You're not welcome here. Back off, or else!"_ The voice said, growing increasingly shrill. It was coming from somewhere behind the expanse of plywood.

"Do as he says Yui," Mio said, breathlessly, pressed tight against the opposite wall.

"Don't hurt my sister," Ui said. "There are six of us here and we were just passing through!"

"_That's what the last ones said … they're just passing through, and they just wanted to stay awhile … and when we opened the door, they tried to __**shoot**__ at us! We … we fought them off, but … but … they got Satomi and … oh my God."_

"Are you okay in there," Azusa said, finally finding her voice. "Are any of you hurt?"

"_We're not doing good,"_ a different voice said.

"_Shut up, shut up, __**shut up!**__ We're not opening that fucking door. No way! No how! We can't trust them!"_

"We're not going to hurt you," Azusa replied, raising her voice. "I'm sorry Yui-senpai got too close to your door! We'll get out of here if you want, but it's raining outside, and we just had to kill a bunch of zombies."

Silence.

"_Kill? You've got guns?"_

Azusa swallowed.

"Yes," she replied.

"_No! You're getting the __**fuck**__ out of here __**right now**__! It won't goddamn happen again!"_

Yui was behind Ui and Azusa, and Azusa breathed a little sigh of relief.

"We're leaving," Azusa said. "We're sorry for the intrusion," she added, starting to back down the hall. The others followed, their eyes fixed on the barricaded classroom.

_Snap!_

The girls screamed at the noise. There was an electric hum from the school's PA system.

A jangling, wailing, sound filled the air, and the girls jumped again.

"Guitars," Yui said, as they scrambled backward. "It's guitars!"

"And drums," Ritsu said. "What the hell are they doing?"

_["The bus is on the road, sweet Georgia fades away. We'll be burnin' down Louisiana, by the very next day."]_

"English?" Mio said.

"Guys, we need to _run_, _**now**_," Mugi said.

Azusa's heart leapt into her throat.

"Mugi-senpai's right," she shouted. "We have to run … they're coming!"

"Who?"

"The zombies," Azusa replied. "These people are playing this on all the school's loudspeakers!"

_["I'll ask one thing … _I'll ask one thing. _And I'll bet you'll be true … _And I'll bet you'll be true. _The thing I'm askin' of you."]_

They broke into a run, skipping and stumbling over corpses. Cold wetness splattered them as the rain started to pick up, spraying in through the shattered windows.

_["Save me some sugar, this won't take long."]_

Outside the windows, they could hear distant howls and screams, all of them coming together in a single, enraged, howl.

"Faster! Faster! We don't want to be trapped in here!"

"Out there's even … even worse!"

"No it isn't, Mio-senpai! We have a chance outside!"

_["You're my old lady, but the road's my lady too…"]_

The doors exploded outward, and the girls tumbled out. Ritsu narrowly avoided being grabbed by a zombie. All around were gray-fleshed, claw-like, hands.

_Bam! Bam! Bam!_

Someone's gun went off. Ritsu unslung the empty American rifle on her back, swinging it like a club. Mugi's shotgun thundered three times in quick succession, zombies tumbling before them.

Ritsu stumbled back, as a zombie stumbled, catching hold of her rifle and snatching it from her hands. Somehow, she got a revolver out, shooting it into the zombie's face.

The zombies screamed and howled, just barely drowned out by strains of the Midnight Riders. Ritsu fired again and again, dimly seeing the zombies falling back, and faintly feeling the splashing of their hot blood on her skin and the icy rain on her head.

_["Save me some sugar, this won't take long. Don't give it too much, I won't be there when you fall."]_

"Ritsu!" Mio screamed. "Look out!"

Ritsu snapped out of her daze, just in time to throw herself to the side, a charger smashing into the wall just off to the side. The misshapen zombie staggered, dazed by the blow. She emptied her guns into it, and it collapsed in a bloodied heap.

"_Raaaaaargh!"_

Her blood suddenly ran cold, her heart leaping.

"Not this," she said, her eyes darting back and forth.

"There's a tank coming!" Ui said.

_Crunch!_

That was the sound of a great mass of metal being rudely shoved to the side.

"We can't fight it here," Mugi said. "We'll be killed for sure."

"_Roaaaaaaaarrrgh!"_

"Guys! Run!" Ritsu screamed. "Run! Run! Run!"

The tank grunted angrily, as Ui blasted at it with her rifle.

"No time! Run Ui! Run!" Ritsu urged, rushing ahead. Zombies ran at them, giving spirited chase.

_Pop! Pop! Pop!_

They stumbled and fell, as the girls shot wildly at them. Mio screamed and screamed, suddenly ahead of Ritsu. Ritsu dared to look back, seeing too many running shapes. She turned, praying the others were keeping up.

_KA-BOOM!_

* * *

><p><em><strong>! ! !<strong>_

"Nooooo!" Mugi screamed from somewhere.

" … off! Get it off! Get it off!" Azusa screamed from somewhere else. It all felt so surreal.

" … up!"

"Ritsu," Mio's voice was shrill. "Get up! Get up!"

Ritsu started to push herself to her feet, and it was enough for Mio. Ritsu suddenly found herself being hauled bodily upward. All around them were pieces of shattered debris.

"Thanks," she managed. Her headache was back with a vengeance and she stumbled, nearly falling again.

"Ritsu, no!" Mio screamed, grabbing Ritsu's arm, yanking her along. Ritsu half-stumbled, half-ran, struggling to keep up with her tall friend's long-legged stride. She heard screaming, but she didn't know whose it was.

"Move! Move! Move!" Mio urged. Somehow, the dizziness ebbed just enough for Ritsu to find her footing. A tiny voice in the back of her head screamed that nothing looked familiar, but the angry howl of the tank somewhere behind her crushed the voice into pulp.

"I'm coming … I'm coming," Ritsu gasped, her lungs burning with each gulp of air, each thundering heartbeat driving hot spikes of pain deep into her skull.

"Mio!" Ritsu gasped. "Mioooo … I … I can't. Mio! Stop!"

Mio turned, slipping on the wet pavement. She tumbled to the ground sprawling out.

"Mio!" Ritsu screamed, lunging forward, and dropping by her friend's side.

"That hurt," Mio managed, just before the panic returned to her eyes. "Ritsu! Help me up! We gotta keep going!"

"No," Ritsu gasped, gulping in air. "We don't. Mio, we don't! Think we lost 'em."

Mio struggled to sit up, looking around wild-eyed. No zombies were chasing after them anymore. Only abandoned cars, and unfamiliar houses vanishing into the mist greeted them as the rain pounded them relentlessly.

Ritsu rocked back and forth, clutching her head in her hands. Her guns lay at her sides, momentarily forgotten. She forced her eyes open, taking the world in.

"Mio," she said. "Where are we? Where are the others?"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<br>**- For those who have read this far and have left reviews, you have my undying gratitude.  
>- The opening dream was inspired, in part, by something I saw in the <em>K-ON! <em>Movie.  
>- Some American M4 variants are nearly two pounds lighter than Japanese Type 89 rifles. The controls are also laid out differently.<br>- Yes, the girls make some bad calls this chapter. Given their present circumstances, it's understandable.  
>- The writing convention for portraying speech in a foreign language differs a bit from what you see here. I'd use the correct convention if I weren't so sure that FanFiction's editor would end up eating the text.<br>- What's _Left 4 Dead_ without the Midnight Riders? Why I got all their albums.  
>- Even the ones that aren't any good.<br>- Now the party's been split. What happens next? That's another chapter…


	16. Chapter 15

**Dead Run:**  
><em>Sometimes, it's your only option.<em>

Ritsu and Mio ... Ritsu and Mio were alone, on a strange street, in front of strange houses, in the middle of all-too-familiar rain.

"I don't know," Mio said, in a tiny, pained voice. "I," a pause. "I thought they were with us. I got knocked down, and you were the first one I could see when I got back up and … and … "

"Oh Mio," Ritsu replied, closing her eyes again. The self-imposed darkness took a little edge off the pain. "I thought I heard Mugi and Azusa screaming … what hit us?"

"That … thing threw something at us," Mio managed.

"Damn tanks," Ritsu muttered. "They never had anything like that in the movies … no giant zombies, no charging zombies, and no tongue zombies."

"Or acid-spitting ones," Mio added. "Or … ones that ride on your back."

Ritsu winced. "Tell me about it," she replied. "Or big, fat, ones that blow up. Or," she bit her lip hard, trying to make Satoshi's face leave her mind's eye. "The ones that cry."

"What are we going to do," Mio said, wrapping her arms around herself.

"We're gonna backtrack to that school, that's what," Ritsu replied.

"Why," Mio asked, squeezing herself. "The people there…"

"We're not going inside. That school is the last place everyone was together. So it'll be the first place everyone tries to go back to."

"But all the zombies were there too."

Ritsu nodded. "Yeah, but if we find our friends, the zombies won't be so bad."

Mio stared at the puddles in the street.

"Yeah," she said. Ritsu risked opening her eyes again. Immediately, she felt like she was taking an ice pick to the temple. She forced herself to her feet anyway. The world rocked and swayed, but she kept her footing.

"This is not how it's gonna end," she muttered.

"Ritsu?"

"Nothing," Ritsu replied, extending her hand. "Let's go find our friends."

* * *

><p>"Mugi-chan, don't take this the wrong way, but you're <em>heavy.<em> C'mon we gotta get you up," Yui said, grunting as she struggled to drag the blonde into a garage.

Mugi groaned, barely conscious, and entirely limp. There were still a few coils of a smoker's tongue wrapped around her, and she'd been sprayed liberally with the zombie's blood when Yui managed to hack through it.

Yui struggled, dragging Mugi behind a stack of tires.

"Ruuugh!" A zombie gurgled somewhere nearby. There ware other shuffling, scraping footfalls. All of them coming closer and getting louder. Yui took of her guitar bag, setting it next to Mugi. She took off her coat too, covering the blonde as best she could.

"I'm sorry, Mugi-chan, but I have to go for a bit. Watch Gitah for me," she said. She then jammed a fresh magazine home on her SMG and walked out to the entrance to the garage.

Yui paused, turning back to Mugi. She smiled faintly and flashed a "peace" sign.

"Don't worry, Mugi-chan, this'll only take a minute."

* * *

><p>Ui watched the school burn from across its athletic field. Periodically, burning, writhing shapes would emerge from the windows and doors, collapsing as they fell. No zombie had yet to make it across the field, let alone the tall fence between her and them.<p>

There was a moan from next to her. She gently put her arm around Azusa, who sat on her knees, rocking slowly, her hands pressed to the top of her head. Blood streamed down her face, and her hair was a matted, tangled mess.

"It's okay, Azusa-chan," Ui whispered. "It's okay. I got that riding thing … it's dead now."

Azusa muttered something unintelligible. Ui took her handkerchief, carefully wiping the blood away from Azusa's face. Azusa whimpered when Ui lifted the towel she had pressed to her scalp.

"It's going to be uncomfortable, but let the rain rinse your scalp," Ui said. Jagged claw-marks scoured Azusa's scalp. Among them were the distinct impressions of human teeth.

"We need to get you some antiseptic soon," she continued. "I guess it's good that scalp wounds bleed a lot, so they're pretty much self-cleaning … but still," she trailed off.

"It was horrible," Azusa whimpered. "Horrible, horrible, horrible. Every time I tried to do something he didn't want … he made it hurt worse."

"Shhh, Azusa, you're okay now," Ui replied, hugging her friend to her. Suddenly, perversely, she was grateful that Ritsu didn't seem to remember much of what happened to her on the railroad tracks.

"Did … did I get bit," Azusa said, looking at Ui with teary, bloodshot, eyes.

"Nuh-uh, Azusa-chan," Ui lied. She didn't want to worry Azusa. Not now.

* * *

><p>"I'm back," Yui said, kneeling next to Mugi. "Had to take care of some zombies."<p>

Mugi smiled wanly. "I heard," she struggled to say. "Took care of Gitah for you."

"You're the best, Mugi-chan," Yui replied. "Oh!" She gasped, suddenly feeling her pockets. She produced a small packet, extending it to Mugi.

"What … is it?"

"Chewy candy," Yui replied. "You should have it."

"Are you sure?"

"Definitely," Yui replied. "I found it for you. Here! I found a can of juice too! Maybe they'll help you get your energy back."

"Yui-chan," Mugi said, blinking rapidly.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you," she said. "Thank you so much."

"Mugi-chan … are you crying?"

"It's," Mugi's breath caught in her throat. "It's the rain."

"But we're definitely out of the rain."

"I know, I know," Mugi smiled weakly. "You've all been so good to me since this all started. Each and every one of you," she said, struggling to sit up. She swallowed hard, haunted by the memory of being unable to breathe; with the only thing she could feel was that dreadful tongue wrapped around her neck as the world faded to black.

"That's what friends are for, right?"

"And you all are the best friends that I've ever had, ever," Mugi whispered.

"Aww Mugi-chan," Yui said, her cheeks starting to redden. "You … you should rest a little and get your strength back. We gotta find the others."

"Yui-chan, let me talk," Mugi replied. "At any moment, we … any of us could die. We could all die. I don't want to die with things left unsaid. I want to tell you all how much you've meant to me, and how sorry I am that I haven't been strong enough to protect all of you."

"Mugi-chan," Yui said. "You've been crazy strong this whole time. I don't think I could do what you do."

"I haven't," Mugi replied, shaking her head violently. "If I was, you would've gotten to meet Sumire. If I was … I would've stopped that thing before it tried to kill Ricchan!"

"Mugi-chan … I don't know much … but I'm pretty sure there aren't any rules about something like this; like about how strong you should be, or what you should think about, or I dunno. Other than," Yui paused, her expression thoughtful. "Other than to work _really_ hard … and do the best you can."

"What are you saying?"

"I dunno," Yui replied. "I guess, maybe I'm saying you're stronger than you think. I mean you and Azu-nyan went to that school all by yourselves to get medicine for Ricchan after she got attacked. That takes lots of strongness. And you got that big guy, and I sure know _I_ feel stronger knowing you're there with your big gun!"

"Yui-chan," Mugi choked out. Yui took Mugi's hands in hers.

"So warm!" Yui said. "So see, you're strong. And because of that, we'll all be just fine, I'm sure of it."

* * *

><p>Ritsu stopped, leaned against a car, and rubbed her temples.<p>

"Alright," she said. "If this headache gets much worse, I'm going to have to call 'uncle.'"

Mio stopped at Ritsu's side, frowning.

"Don't say things like that, Ritsu."

Ritsu slowly shook her head.

"I've just … I've got to admit it, I'm pretty messed up," she replied.

"Well, you keep getting yourself beat up by them," Mio said, a flicker of a smile on her lips.

Ritsu looked over at her.

"Hey … not my fault they all want me … ow!"

"Ritsu! That's just sick!" Mio crossed her arms over her chest. "Just … just because your head hurts doesn't mean the rest of you is off-limits."

"Duly noted," Ritsu replied. Her shin hurt now. The two girls fell into a few moments of silence. "Seriously, I'm starting to wonder how much more running I've got in me."

"You've got to have enough to get us all out of here," Mio replied, sliding just close enough for Ritsu to lean against her. "And then," she took a deep shuddering breath, "and then it'll all be okay!"

"I dunno, Mio-chan," Ritsu murmured. Mio's eyebrows ticked upward, it was so rare for Ritsu's tone to be so … girly. "I can't say I'm the most responsible of us. That's normally Azusa-chan's job, and she might finally be up to it again."

"R-Ritsu, snap out of it," Mio said. "You're scaring me!"

Ritsu chuckled softly, shaking her head again.

"We're in the middle of the zombie apocalypse, and _that's_ what's scaring you? You've come a _long_ way, Mio … maybe I should be scared by _that._"

"Ritsu, that bright new bandana of yours makes a tempting target," Mio said, as she sagged against the car. "I-I'm still going because you are. And I don't know if I'd be able to keep going if you weren't with us."

"C'mon, Mioooo," Ritsu whimpered. "The rest of the gang's with you. It'd be fine."

"But none of them are _**you**_!" Mio's lips snapped shut. "I-I mean …we might all be scared out of our wits, but you just _act_."

"My snap judgment has gotten us in trouble before. Remember Kyoto?"

"Well, right _now_, it's gotten us _out_ of a lot more."

"Not all of us," Ritsu replied. "N-not Sawa-chan, or S-Satoshi, or Sumire. I wonder what … what Mugi must think of me?"

"What's with you and Mugi anyway?" Mio asked. Her cheeks colored, as though she'd said something out-loud she hadn't meant to.

Ritsu blinked at the abrupt change of subject. "You're talking about this morning, aren't you?"

"I-I don't know … yes."

"Nothing," Ritsu replied, sniffling. "I woke up early because of this," she said, tapping her temple. She kept talking; it was a distraction from the pain. "Mugi was already awake. We … well she talked about her parents. About how she hasn't heard from them."

"I see," Mio said, staring down at the wet pavement. "I'm sorry."

"Eh don't be," Ritsu replied. After a few moments, she took an unsteady breath, her body shuddering.

"Y'know," she said, "I think we need to get going."

"Ritsu?"

Ritsu shook her head. "I'll last, but the daylight won't. C'mon, Mio."

Mio frowned and let her breath out. "Okay, Ritsu."

Both girls pushed themselves off the car. As Ritsu forced her eyes open to look around, she frowned.

"Mio? How long has that column of black smoke been there?"

"I," Mio's mouth hung open as she looked at the sky. "I don't know. That's a lot of smoke, though. Say, Ritsu, you don't think…"

"The school? Maybe," Ritsu replied. "It's possible. It's something to follow, anyway. Let's get moving."

* * *

><p>"Azusa-chan?"<p>

Azusa grunted, looking up at Ui. Her scalp burned something fierce.

"Are you feeling any better?"

"A little," Azusa replied. Ui had been squirreling away painkillers. She suspected Ui was doing it in case Yui got hurt, but she wasn't going to complain. Not with her pain finally starting to fade because of them.

Azusa lifted the damp towel from the top of her head, wringing out the blood and rainwater. The fluid was a pale pink now … it felt like she was returning to her senses as the bleeding stopped. She closed her eyes for a moment, and immediately heard the demented cackle of the riding zombie.

"I-I don't think I'll ever be able to sleep again," she whimpered.

"You'll have to try, if you want to get better, Azusa," Ui replied, her tone gentle.

_Is there anything left worth getting better for?_ Azusa wanted to snap. Instead, she clenched her jaw shut, holding the words in. For all she knew it'd be just her and Ui from now on, and if that were true … she remembered that first day of their senpai's Kyoto trip, when Ui realized Yui wouldn't be home that night.

"That school is burning pretty good now," Ui remarked, staring into the flames. They could feel the heat from where they were.

"Yeah," Azusa murmured. She wondered if those people in that room got out. She wondered what happened to the others. She vaguely saw Mugi get snared by one of those smoking zombies … just after they were all scattered by that tank.

"Hey Ui? Did you see what happened to the rest?"

"I," Ui started to say, staring into the flames. "It all happened so fast. I don't … I don't know what happened to Onee-chan, or the others, or Onee-chan," she said, her eyes starting to glisten and her lips starting to quiver.

"Ui," Azusa said, reaching over to shake Ui. "They … I'm sure they're fine! Yui-senpai's gonna be fine!"

"Really, Azusa-chan?" Ui closed her eyes, wetness streaking down her cheeks.

Azusa nodded. "Yeah," she said. "If there's anyone who'd make it out, it'd be Yui-senpai."

"But she might be alone with all those infected," Ui replied miserably.

"She might also be with the rest of the senpais," Azusa shot back. "And she's … well, she's a better shot than I am," she added.

"She is good, isn't she?" Ui said, her tone still every bit as uncertain and miserable as it was before.

"She is," Azusa replied. She felt suddenly cold, cold and alone. _Why can't you be here to jump on me when I _want_ you here to jump on me, Yui-senpai?_ "A-and so are the others!"

Ui slowly slipped an arm around Azusa's shoulder, sniffling.

"Azusa-chan, I'm sorry," she forced out. "You're hurt bad, and here I am … only thinking about what's worrying _me_. I … I'm," her voice trailed off, her lips moved, but no sound emerged.

"Ui, stop … please stop," Azusa replied. The cold loneliness she felt was becoming an increasingly urgent sense of panic. If Ui went to pieces, it'd just be Azusa. _And you'd become like the rest, to be shot like a wild animal._

"Ui," Azusa whispered, squeezing Ui tightly. "Ui … snap out of it. Yui-senpai, and the others are okay. M-maybe they're even looking for us, a-and we should maybe go and try to find the highway so they can find us."

"I'm good," Ui murmured. "I'm good. You're right, Onee-chan's strong, and she's got her friends, a-and they're going to be okay; and I've got to pull it together so I can get back there and pr-protect her and help everyone."

_Pop! Pop-pop-pop!_

Azusa sat up with a start.

"Ui … did you hear that?"

Ui's head came up, seemingly only with great effort.

"Yeah, yeah I did," she replied. "It sounds like a rifle."

* * *

><p>"Ritsu! Look out!" Mio screamed, hauling her rifle up. The zombie in the dark hoodie snarled at them, screamed, and leaped toward Ritsu.<p>

_Crack! Crack-crack-crack!_

The zombie yelped like a dog, slamming into Ritsu and bowling her over. But the zombie tumbled away, limbs flailing limply.

"Ritsu!" Mio said, lunging to her friend's side.

"Ugh," Ritsu said, struggling to sit up. "That's not helping my head."

Mio's eyes darted from side to side. "Can you stand up?"

"If the world would stop spinning first," Ritsu murmured. She pitched forward, onto her hands and knees. She felt a hand on her back.

"Don't, Mio. Let me do this," she said. "You just keep an eye out for more company."

Mio nodded jerkily, bringing her rifle up.

"Hrrrgh!" A zombie emerged from the side of a house, lunging toward them. Several more emerged from around other corners. One or two "dead" bodies started to sit up, looking at them.

_Crack!_

_Crack!_

_Crack!_

Mio's rifle thundered as Ritsu struggled to her feet. She grabbed for a revolver, her arms shaking as she brought it up.

_Bam!_

A zombie, miraculously, went down just before it reached Mio. Two others swiped at her, too close for Ritsu to try to pick off. Mio swung her rifle, managing to knock them both back.

Mio screamed, as one of their flailing fists connected.

"Mio!" Ritsu yelled. She fired, twice, bullets ricocheting off the pavement.

"Damn it," she swore, firing again. This time, one of the zombies lurched, bleeding heavily from the chest.

_Crack-crack-crack! Crack-crack-crack!_

Mio unloaded into the other one, and then stared blankly at her rifle as she tried to work the trigger. The bleeding zombie stumbled toward her.

"Mio! _Reload!_" Ritsu said, stumbling forward into a run. She ducked down, catching the zombie with her shoulder. Both went down, the zombie spraying her face with blood and ichor as it screamed at her.

She whipped the muzzle of her gun across its face, and it flailed with its arms, beating her arms and her sides.

"No!" Ritsu grunted, reaching for her other revolver at her hip. Somehow, she found it.

_Bam!_

The zombie stopped moving, with a new hole in its forehead. Ritsu slumped forward, rolling off the corpse to stare up at the sky. She immediately felt cold raindrops starting to pelt her face.

"Ritsu!" Mio said, towering over her.

"Can't have you getting beat up by zombies, now can I?" Ritsu said weakly, smiling faintly. "Think I'll take a hand up now."

* * *

><p>"That gunfire isn't coming from the school," Mugi said.<p>

"Nuh-uh," Yui replied, her mouth full. Mugi insisted they split what little candy she'd found. She swallowed, and adjusted the guitar bag on her shoulders. "You're right, Mugi-chan. You think, maybe, we should go that way?"

They both looked up the highway, at the burning school. It was amazing how quickly it was becoming an inferno.

"I don't think anyone would want to go toward that," Mugi replied. "And that sounds like one of the military rifles we took."

"So maybe it's Mio-chan and Ricchan!"

"Or some other survivors," Mugi said. "I … I'm not sure."

Yui leaned forward, listening to the gunplay.

"Definitely Mio-chan," she pronounced. "Especially that bit at the end."

"They had to have been running pretty fast, to get that far down the highway," Mugi replied.

"Don't think anyone saw what was going on," Yui said. "It could totally happen if they didn't get caught like we did."

Mugi nodded.

"We should go then, but carefully," she said, lifting her shotgun. "I'm afraid that's going to attract attention."

* * *

><p>Azusa and Ui slowly picked their way up the road that hugged the perimeter of the school grounds. Ui looked alert and attentive, which relieved Azusa to no end.<p>

"Hey Ui," she said. "This will get us back to the highway, right?"

Ui nodded.

"It's the road we went down when you were … attacked," she said. "I-I lost my map somewhere around here, so I didn't want to go the other way."

Azusa grunted. It wasn't really an unhappy sound, as those were potent painkillers. Still, a part of her said they should've been going south, since going north would only take them back in the direction of that abandoned military checkpoint.

They came up on a crossroads. There were buildings and houses along the road next to the school, while the other road lead toward open farmland. The girls started left, toward the school.

"Azusa!" Ui hissed, stopping. Azusa's head snapped up, and she saw shapes moving among the buildings.

"I see them," Azusa replied. They were zombies, and they lunged toward them screaming.

"We need to get away from the school," Ui said, bringing up her rifle. She dropped a pair of them, but the others kept coming.

"Right," Azusa said, backpedaling, grabbing for her own rifle. She fired, once, twice, three times; and finally a zombie dropped. She made an unhappy noise and let the rifle drop back to her side.

"Ui! C'mon, run!"

Ui turned away from the zombies, jogging after Azusa. She stopped and turned, firing several more times at the pursuing zombies. A couple more fell, but the rest were gaining.

"Raargh!" That was from the south. More zombies were coming up the road.

"East!" Azusa gasped, grabbing at her rifle again. She fired several wild shots at the zombies coming up from the south. Amazingly, one dropped and another staggered.

"I need to reload!" Ui said.

"We need to keep running," Azusa replied. "I see farmhouses down the road … maybe if we reached one of those…"

There was a metallic clatter as Ui dropped both the empty magazine and the full one she was trying to fumble into her rifle while she ran. She stopped, dropping to her knees to pick up the magazine.

"Azusa! Wait!"

Azusa wheeled about, staring in horror at Ui. She started back up the road, toward Ui, but the zombies got there first.

Ui screamed as they started kicking at her.

"Ui! No!" Azusa screamed, swinging at one of them with her rifle. Ui managed to knock another one back, but there were more coming. Azusa smashed the butt of her rifle into the face of another zombie, and then a third.

There was inarticulate shouting somewhere behind them. Ui grabbed a zombie, bowling it over her. She lunged to her feet, with rifle and magazine in hand, jamming it home.

There was sharp thunder in Azusa's ear as Ui shot at the closest zombies.

"Hoooooooooo!"

Azusa was suddenly airborne, her fall checked by the bodies of zombies in front of her. Somehow, she found her feet, seeing Ui in the misshapen arm of a charger. The charger ran down the road, in the direction of a farmhouse at the corner.

"Ui! I'm coming!" Azusa screamed, though it hurt her ribs to shout. She stumbled into a run, hearing the footfalls of zombies behind her.

_Crash!_

The charger slammed into a fence, tumbling over it. The zombie and Ui disappeared amongst the vegetation. Azusa saw several other figures running out from the farmhouse, and her heart sank.

The footfalls and screams of the undead behind her spurred her on, even though her chest hurt, and she had a metallic taste in her mouth with each agonizing breath.

_It's too much! I can't run anymore!_

Azusa stumbled, slowing down. She turned around, bringing her rifle up.

"I'm sorry, Yui-senpai!" Azusa screamed, blasting at the zombies running at her. All she saw was the front of that gun, the bright strobe-like muzzle flash. Vaguely she saw zombies falling. Vaguely she saw others coming. This was how she was going to die … alone. She failed Ui, and now she'd never see Yui-senpai, or the others, ever again.

"Yui-senpai!" Azusa screamed, firing at anything that moved. And, suddenly, she was out … and there was no time to go for that next magazine. She swung desperately, lunging toward the oncoming zombies. Some stumbled, and some fell, but they were all so much taller than her. Flailing fists caught her rifle, and she struggled to keep a hold of it.

She cried out as fists connected between her shoulders. Her breath left her in an explosive gasp as they connected to her gut, her shoulders, and her arms.

Azusa dropped to the ground, trying desperately to cover her head, instinctively fighting for just a few extra moments of life.

_Yui-senpai! I'm sorry … I'm sorry … I'm so sorry!_

The pills took the edge off, but there was still plenty of hurt.

" … away!"

Azusa was splashed with blood, but it wasn't hers.

" … from her, now!"

There was screaming, but it wasn't hers.

"Get away!"

Bodies dropped to the pavement around her, but how did that make any sense? She was alone.

There was a hand on her shoulder, and it didn't feel like the cold, bony, hand of a zombie.

"I don't know who you are, I'm not going to leave you, but you've gotta _get up!_" A woman's voice shouted, close to Azusa's ear.

Azusa opened her eyes, trying to uncurl her body. She looked up, and her eyes met gray ones, framed by black hair.

"M-Mio-senpai?" She muttered. _No, not quite … unless Mio-senpai got her hair cut in the last … hour, was it?_

"Afraid not, kid," the stranger replied. "C'mon, can you get up?"

"Be nice, Akira," another voice said. Azusa turned her head, seeing a short-haired blonde girl clutching a bloodied fire axe.

"There's more coming," the girl whose name was, apparently, Akira replied.

"There was another," Azusa managed, forcing her body into a sitting position. Nothing felt obviously broken.

"The other girl with a gun? Yeah, Sachi's with her," Akira said. "I'm sorry if I come off as rude, but you need to get up _right now_."

Azusa nodded, getting to her knees. It was enough for Akira and the blonde girl to get their arms around Azusa, helping her to her feet.

"Th-thanks," she said.

"Don't mention it," Akira replied.

"We're all in this together, right?" The blonde girl said. "The name's Ayame, by the way. Don't mind Akira, that's just how she is normally."

"I'm Azusa Nakano," Azusa said. "You said 'Sachi' is with Ui?"

"Yeah," Akira replied.

"Sachi isn't much for fighting," Ayame added. "Wow … what happened to the top of your head?"

"A zombie jumped on me and tried to … tried to ride me."

"Holy crap, I never thought I'd ever meet someone who got jumped by a jockey and lived to tell about it!"

_Jockey, makes sense._ Azusa forced the thought down.

"How is Ui?" She said.

"Your friend's pretty beat-up. That charger took the brunt of the blow when they both went over the fence, but she's in about as much shape to fight as you are," Akira replied. She then scowled, looking back in the direction of the school. "We've got to get back to the farmhouse. We've got it barricaded, and I think we're gonna need it tonight."

"Hey … Azusa, was it? We heard you yelling out a name. Who's Yui?" Ayame said.

"Yui-senpai? She's … Ui's sister," Azusa stopped. "We weren't alone! We got separated from the others about the time that school caught fire! We have to get back to them."

Akira put her arm around Azusa's shoulder, and very firmly turned her back toward the farmhouse.

"Nothing doing, kid," she said. "Thanks to that fire, this place is going to be crawling with zombies by nightfall, and I'm not about to let you go get yourself killed after we just saved you."

"Akira," Ayame said, her eyes narrowing. "I'm sorry, Azusa, she's right. We'll try to help you find your friends in the morning, but right now, it's going to be too risky. And, besides, unlike you guys … none of us have guns."

"Okay," Azusa said. She wasn't one to argue with reason. Still, she didn't have to like it. _Yui-senpai … wait for me, please?_

* * *

><p>Ritsu and Mio emerged next to the parking lot of a convenience store. At a first glance, the store looked thoroughly pillaged, but Ritsu made a note to check it out later.<p>

"So the smoke is up to the north," Mio said.

"Yeah," Ritsu replied. "Let's get going. I-I don't know about you, but I'm really starting to notice the cold."

* * *

><p>Yui and Mugi picked their way down a side road parallel to the highway. Mugi wasn't comfortable walking down the main highway, not with the hills echoing with the distant screams of zombies.<p>

"You sure we'll be able to see the others from here?"

Mugi nodded. "Yes, Yui-chan," she said. "We'll spot them for sure if they're staying on the sides of the road, away from the abandoned cars."

"Okay," Yui replied slowly. "Hey, don't you think there's a lot of dead zombies by that house at the end of this road?"

Mugi looked. "Yeah, you're right. And that house has some walls around it. Maybe other survivors used it."

"Maybe we can too … I mean, once we find the others," Yui said.

* * *

><p>"What the hell happened there?" Ritsu said, stopping. Mio bumped into her.<p>

"I'm sorry! I … what?"

"Look at that fancy house there, the one with the walls around it. There are a … lot of dead zombies by it. Looks like a big fight happened there."

"I-I don't want to check it out," Mio said. "T-there's probably more inside. Or even other survivors."

Ritsu nodded, tight-lipped. Their luck with other survivors hadn't been good so far. Suddenly, her thoughts stopped. _There_, emerging from behind the trees! She frowned; her vision did _not_ want to be clear.

"Mio!" She whispered harshly. "Do you see those zombies?"

Mio looked, she saw two moving figures. But there was something about the way they were moving that gave her pause.

"Y-yeah, I see them. Two, right?"

"Yeah," Ritsu replied. She was already reaching for her guns. If they saw Mio and her, she wasn't planning to give them a chance.

"Ritsu! What are you doing?"

"Getting ready," Ritsu replied.

"I," Mio started. "I don't think those are the infected. They're not moving like infected. It's almost like they're trying to be careful."

"Could be the guys from the school … or whoever tore up that first saferoom," Ritsu said.

The two figures that emerged from the trees stopped moving.

"Crap, I think they see us," Ritsu said, drawing a revolver.

"Ritsu! I think that's…"

"_Ricchan!"_

* * *

><p>"Ricchan!" Yui shouted. "Ricchan!"<p>

"Yui!" Mugi gasped.

"That's Ricchan and Mio-chan!"

Mugi stopped and looked. Across the brush, and across the other side of the highway, she saw a tall dark-haired figure and a shorter figure sporting a brightly colored bandana.

"You're right," she said. "Mio! Ritsu!" she yelled. "It's us!"

* * *

><p>"Holy crap, that <em>is<em> Yui and Mugi," Ritsu said, jamming her gun back into her waistband. "C'mon, Mio, let's go!"

Both girls picked their way between parked and abandoned vehicles, breaking into a run as they stumbled through the muddy field. Mugi and Yui broke into a run, and they met somewhere in the middle in a tangle of hugs and wild laughter.

"Oh my God … Mugi! Yui!"

"Ricchan! Ricchan!"

"Mugi! Yui!"

"Mio-chan!"

"How did you get here? Where did you come from? I don't understand!" Ritsu said, jumping up and down, squeezing Mugi's hands.

"You guys must've been running fast, to get all this way," Yui said.

"Yui-chan dragged me to a service station after I got attacked," Mugi replied. "I … I thought you got nailed by the stuff the tank threw at us. I…"

"Wasn't … a direct hit," Ritsu replied, squeezing Mugi's hands tightly as waves of pain exploded out the center of her skull. "And Mio here, well, she's faster than she looks."

"Ritsu!"

"Hey, hey," Yui said. "Have either of you seen Azu-nyan, or Ui?"

Ritsu's mouth snapped shut. She looked at Mio, who wore a similar expression.

"I'm afraid not," Mio said. "W-we were hoping you two might've seen them."

"If they didn't come this way," Mugi said with a thoughtful look on her face, "then they must be back near the school."

_**Howl!**_

The girls looked at each other. They all knew that howl, the piercing yell of a whole mass of angry zombies. Zombies who were all headed toward them.

"We," Mio started to say.

"We've got to get somewhere safe right now," Mugi said, lifting her shotgun.

"Azu-nyan," Yui said, pressing her lips together.

"How about that house?" Ritsu said, motioning toward the house with the dead zombies in front. Mio moaned, but Mugi nodded sharply.

"It'll have to work," she said. "That horde will be here any minute."

The girls stumbled out of the mud, dashing down the road, and jumping over the corpses of zombies. There was a gate, which, curiously, was latched. Beyond it was a courtyard that was, curiously, clear. As they ran into the door, they found it locked.

Ritsu's eyes darted back. She didn't see any zombies yet, but she could hear them coming.

"Mugi," she said. "You up for some breaking-and-entering?"

"I'll try," Mugi said. "Stand back, please?"

_Crash!_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>

- So ends another chapter of _Left 4 Moe_. And now the members of OnNaGumi have been introduced. They certainly seem nicer than other Survivors the girls have met.  
>- Even Akira, as intimidating as she is.<br>- And what's up with that house the rest broke in to? That's the subject of the next chapter.  
>- Yui makes the remark that Mugi is heavy. Bear in mind that Yui's been seen struggling to carry a 1x12 guitar combo amp. While unwieldy, they're not excessively heavy.<br>- Yes, I know Yui carries Gitah just fine, and her Les Paul was manufactured before Gibson started chambering the inside of Les Paul bodies for weight reduction.  
>- I consider Jockeys to be among the worst of the Specials to encounter. It's why it would seem like a Hunter or two buys it every other chapter and nobody mentions it, but a Jockey pounce is always a big deal.<br>- If everyone seems to be acting like they're starting to get a little crazy, that's intentional on my part.


	17. Chapter 16

**Dead Dealings**:  
><em>Always know who your friends are.<em>

The first clue Ritsu got that something was amiss was the metallic _hiss_ off to the side. Before she could react, she felt an edge of cold steel against her neck.

"Don't move," a man's voice said.

"I ... I'll scream," Ritsu said, swallowing nervously. "B-br ... bring the horde down on us."

"I've gotten lots of practice with this sword," the man replied. "And my buddy's got my back. You'll be dead before you hit the ground. Are you infected?"

"D-do I look infected?" Ritsu replied. "Of course I'm not infected!"

"How do you know?"

"Look at me," Ritsu replied. "I'm covered in zombie puke, zombie bile, zombie blood, and zombie bits I don't even know the names of! And I'm carrying these guns," she added, feeling stupid. The door was locked, but the house was empty of people. This was why she was upstairs having a look around, and the rest were downstairs.

"Ain't the first time I've seen someone carrying a gun turn when I wasn't looking."

"My friends are downstairs, you know," Ritsu said, not liking where the conversation was going. "They're going to miss me soon."

"Yeah, downstairs in _our _house. We know this place. We already have your friends."

Ritsu swallowed. _So this is it, then,_ she thought. Her revolvers felt small in her hands, but maybe, just maybe she'd get them turned on her assailant before he could chop her head off…

"Tomohiro! Kenichi! What are you doing!" A woman yelled. Ritsu knew that voice from somewhere! "Wiriamu said they weren't to be hurt!"

"Chr ... Christina? I mean ... Norimi-san?" Ritsu said.

"Tainaka-san," Norimi replied. "Tomohiro! Put that thing away right now!"

The press of cold steel left Ritsu's neck.

"Hey," the man, Tomohiro, said. "They broke into the safehouse. You can't be too careful anymore."

"Tomohiro, this girl is not even eighteen yet," Norimi, Norimi Kawaguchi, the former guitarist for _Death Devil_, replied. "And I know her, and her friends."

There was a moment of tense silence. And then she heard Tomohiro put away his sword.

"Fair enough," he said. "You can turn around now ... Tainaka-san ... but don't do anything stupid, Kenichi's still got his gun on you."

"Tomohiro!"

"I'm sorry, Norimi, but I'm not willing to trust her yet. Please turn around now, Tainaka-san. Drop your guns and put your hands up too."

There was a harsh clatter as her revolvers hit the floor. Ritsu slowly raised her hands, her heart pounding. She slowly turned around, and found herself blinded by a flashlight. She blinked furiously, but the light didn't leave her. Suddenly a taller woman, with a head of short, dyed blonde hair, appeared in Ritsu's vision.

"I apologize for my friends," Norimi said. "But I hope you understand."

Ritsu nodded, tight-lipped. "It's the zombie apocalypse," she said. "Can't be too careful. Are the others okay?"

"As long as they listened to Wiriamu, your friends are fine," Norimi replied. "Let's go back downstairs."

* * *

><p>The first thing to hit Ritsu was the stench of cheap cigarettes. She didn't stop, ever mindful of the muzzle of the rifle ever so gently prodding the small of her back.<p>

"So you got the last one huh, Nori-chan? You think we can all put our guns away now and act like adults?" Ritsu heard the voice of an older man say.

"Yeah, Pops," Norimi said. Ritsu looked down, and saw her friends regarding a tall, dark, man warily. He had a rifle in his hands, and his eyes darted back and forth. To their credit, Ritsu noted, the girls all still had their weapons. There was also a stocky old man leaning against a doorway, a lit cigarette between his lips. He didn't have a gun, but his expression radiated disapproval.

"Hey guys," she said.

"Kenichi, Tomohiro, as you can see, we're all friends here. Let's all lower our weapons and introduce ourselves. Properly," Norimi said.

"Sounds good to me," a new voice, one that Ritsu presumed belonged to Kenichi, said. "Think we're safe from 'em turning into zombies for the moment, Tom."

"Very well, but only if her friends put their weapons away too," Tomohiro replied, loud enough to be heard at the bottom of the stairs.

"Don't be a jackass, Tomohiro," the old man growled. "Still," he said, looking at the others, "as you can see, your friend is unhurt. I suggest you lower your weapons before someone goes and does something stupid. It's crawling with zombies outside."

Mugi was the first to sling her shotgun back behind her.

"Sounds very reasonable," Mugi replied, Mio let her rifle drop in turn, and only Yui seemed reluctant to lower hers, but only until the dark man lowered his.

"I'm so glad we can all be adults here," Norimi said, slipping around Ritsu and down the stairs. Ritsu followed her, and then hurried over to Mio's side, turning around. A man with spiked, dyed orange, hair stood next to another man wearing a black beanie.

"Again, Ritsu, I'm so sorry about what happened upstairs," Norimi added. "The man with the hat is Kenichi Satou. Our resident expert in paranoia is Tomohiro Toyosaki."

"I'm Daisuke Hikasa," the dark man said. "I've already met your friends."

"And I'm Wiriamu Taketatsu," the old man said. "Don't let any of the others fool you. Nori-chan and I call the shots here."

"Well, I'm Tsumugi Kotobuki," Mugi said. "I'm sorry that we couldn't have met under better circumstances."

Ritsu nodded. No hard feelings, right? "I'm Ritsu Tainaka. My tall friend here is Mio Akiyama, and the girl with the guitar case is Yui Hirasawa."

"I never thought I'd see anyone I knew who hadn't become a zombie," Norimi said. "And now I see you girls ... where is Sawako?"

Ritsu frowned, tight-lipped. "She ... she became a zombie. She killed my brother when she did." Ritsu stared at the ground for a moment. "As far as I know, she's out there somewhere."

It was Norimi's turn to look down. "That explains why we couldn't get a hold of her," she said. "The girls and I, I mean ... none of them made it. All of them eventually became zombies, except for me. And I'm sorry about your brother."

Ritsu shook her head. "The pain is a little easier to deal with when the zombies don't give you any time to think. "

"I understand that," Daisuke said, leaning up against a wall.

"I guess we don't have to ask you why you're here," Wiriamu said. "Though I thought we reinforced that door."

"You did," Mugi replied. "It took me three tries to break it down," she closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, sir, but they were coming and we had nowhere else to go."

"It's all right," Norimi said. "We're all friends here. Even Tom, once you get to know him."

"You look familiar," Yui said, looking at Wiriamu. "Hey, Nori-chan, isn't he the guy who owned that stand you took us all to once?"

"The same," Wiriamu replied. "Kinda hard to run a place like that when all your customers turned into zombies, though."

"I … I remember your ganmodoki," Mugi said.

Wiriamu grunted, taking a drag on his cigarette.

"Well, now that we're all acquainted, we have a problem," he said, staring at each of the girls in turn. "There were enough supplies for six. I see nine here."

"We haven't taken anything," Ritsu said. It was the truth, if only because the other survivors had turned up before the girls could overcome how weird the whole situation had been.

"I'll believe you, for now," Wiriamu replied. "Nori-chan and I may be the only ones, though. Hmm," he took another drag on his cigarette, exhaling sharply. "I think my people need to have a talk."

"Oh no, old man," Tomohiro said. "If what's on your mind is what I think it is … well, you already know how I'll vote. I'll stay here and keep an eye on our guests."

* * *

><p>"Wow, you've already been evacuated <em>twice<em>?" Ayame said, leaning forward, her golden eyes wide in the candlelight.

"Uh huh," Azusa replied. She had a little food in her now, courtesy of their new friends, but it sat in her stomach like a lump of lead.

"It hasn't gone well," Ui added. She was bruised, her face was puffy, her lip was split, and one of her eyes sported what looked like a hellacious shiner.

"I can imagine not," Ayame replied. "Once was enough for us."

"Yeah, never again," Sachi said. She was tall, with long brown hair.

"What happened?" Ui asked.

"Not the best question to ask us," Akira replied, narrowing her gray eyes. "We barely got out alive, and we've been on our own since. That's all you need to know."

"I'm sorry," Ui said, biting her lip.

"Akira," Ayame said, shaking her head. "So … Azusa, are there really six of you?"

"Yeah," Azusa replied. It struck her how that seemed to be the hardest thing for the others to absorb.

"Wow. How are you getting enough supplies?"

"We were doing okay," Azusa replied. "But we lost almost everything when the helicopter went down," she added, frowning.

"We haven't had much luck since," Ui added.

"That's why we've avoided the highway, for the most part," Akira said. "Too much trouble there … but I hope you've figured that out already."

"Yeah," Azusa replied, nodding.

"Is it better away from the highways?" Ui said.

"We do okay, I guess," Sachi replied. "Not a lot of zombies in farm country."

"Could do with a few more," Ayame said. "I think Akira may have gotten more than I did today when we saved you guys."

Azusa gave them a sharp glance. It seemed like they were competing and …

"Wait," she said. "Are you guys 'OnNaGumi'?"

"Yeah, that's us," Ayame replied, grinning. "I take it you've seen one of our signs?"

"Uh huh," Azusa replied. "Where does that name come from?"

"It's the name of our band," Akira said, the words emerging with a certain snap.

"You guys are a band?" Ui echoed. "That's pretty cool. Onee-chan, Azusa-chan, and the rest are a band too."

"No way!" Ayame said, nearly thrusting herself into Azusa's face. "How long have you guys been playing?"

"I-it's not all that," Azusa replied, immediately embarrassed. "It's part of our high school's Light Music Club."

"Azusa-chan's just being modest," Ui said. "Onee-chan and her are the lead guitarists and the band's called Houkago Tea Time," she fell silent for a few moments. "They've been playing all through high school."

"Not much longer than we have, it sounds like," Sachi said curling a length of hair around her finger.

"That's pretty cool," Ayame, added, a grin still on her face.

"I think I've heard enough," Akira said, standing up. "I think we _should_ be talking about what we're going to do tomorrow. We're now … pretty low on supplies," she said. Azusa felt her cheeks warm, even though Akira didn't look at her or Ui directly.

"Akira, that's really unfair," Ayame replied.

"We're … we're sorry," Azusa said, clenching her hands. "We'll leave you guys first thing in the morning to go find our friends."

"Azusa," Ayame and Ui echoed.

"I," Akira said, pursing her lips. "I didn't mean it like that! It wasn't anything against you personally," she said, vigorously shaking her head. "Just … don't sweat it, okay? We'll adjust."

"Yeah, we're cool," Ayame said. "And, I'd feel bad leaving you two on your own, guns or not. Like I told Azusa here, we'll help you find your friends."

"We'll _try_," Akira said. "I won't promise anything, because … well, you know how it is out there."

Azusa looked down at the floor, and then looked up and nodded. "Ui and I would appreciate any help you can give us to find Yui-senpai and the others," she cast a quick glance to Ui, and then her eyes found Akira's once more. "And we'll help you guys in any way possible."

* * *

><p>"We've got a proposal for you," Wiriamu said, as he came back down the stairs. "Hm, I see you've made yourselves at home. You too, Tomohiro?"<p>

Ritsu looked up from the cup of tea she'd been staring into. Mugi had offered to make tea, and the man named Tomohiro let her … on the rationale that three on one was better odds than four on one.

"For what it's worth, it's good tea," Tomohiro replied. "I take it you've decided to do the opposite of what I'd have suggested?"

"Well, you chose to sit this one out, Tomohiro," Wiriamu growled. "It's too late to belly-ache about it now."

"What's your proposal?" Ritsu said, keeping a hold of her cup. The pain was still there, and she wanted nothing more than to rub her temples.

"Well, let me start by asking you a question, Tainaka-san," Wiriamu replied. "Where are you girls planning to go?"

"Tokyo," Yui replied, thrusting out a hand. The others, Ritsu included, gaped at her.

_That's our Yui,_ Ritsu thought.

"Putting yourselves into the hands of the military, I take it," Wiriamu said. "Not for me to judge … but it's not for us."

Ritsu saw Norimi give the old man a sharp glance. The dark-skinned man looked down and away … seemingly guiltily.

"What's … wrong with the military?"

Daisuke looked up. "We've … well, we've just had our fill of the military, that's all."

"Anyway, Ritsu," Norimi came to stand between Daisuke and Ritsu. "What Pops is saying is that we're not going quite the same way you girls are, but we could really use your help."

"You guys look like you're doing pretty good," Yui said, tilting her head.

Ritsu bit her tongue, _damn it, Azusa! Where are you when we need you? _

"For now, Hirasawa-san, for now," Wiriamu replied. "But we want to do better than 'pretty good.' We want to get off Japan."

"Leave Japan? Why?" Ritsu asked, speaking quickly.

"Japan's population density is 336 people per square kilometer," Tomohiro replied, scowling. "Try thinking about it."

"That's … that's a … _lot_ of zombies," Mio said in a small voice, as the realization dawned on her.

"Why do you think it's been so damned bad here," Wiriamu said. "You kids should think about that."

"Anyway, we've got a bus, and we've been putting all kinds of armor on it," Kenichi said. "That's why the house was empty when you showed up."

"We've also been loading it with supplies. Food, guns, you name it, we're getting' it," Daisuke added. "Wish I could help more but," he trailed off, "you see this leg?"

Ritsu looked at the leg Daisuke was pointing at. Just then she realized that leg seemed to bulge more than the other. She nodded, willing him to go on.

"A witch got it real good the other day," he said. "It still hurts real bad to walk on it, so I can barely keep up with the others."

"That's why we need your help, girls," Norimi said. "They want to get the bus done as fast as possible, because Pops wants to use it to find and steal a sailboat."

"Huh," Yui said, looking puzzled.

"I think she means they want to find and sail a boat, Yui-san," Ritsu said, turning to speak in her ear with a small smirk.

"I _knew_ that, Ricchan," Yui replied. As Ritsu stared at her, Yui looked from Norimi to Wiriamu.

"What I wanted to know is why a sailboat?"

"Because we _don't_ want to stop every fifteen minutes to get gas," Wiriamu replied.

"A-and you want us to help you find supplies for your bus, and your boat," Mio said.

"I told you they'd catch on," Daisuke said. "If you'd be willing to help us do that, Kenichi and I could get the bus done even faster. I may not be able to run, but I can still wield a welder like nobody's business!"

"And we would be willing to give you a ride in return," Norimi said. "And a place to stay while we're finishing the bus."

Ritsu shook her head. "I-I'm sorry I didn't say this earlier, but it's not just us four. Azusa and Yui's sister Ui got separated from us not far from here. We want to find them."

"Anything _else_ you're hiding?" Tomohiro said, narrowing his eyes. Wiriamu growled, but said nothing. Norimi looked at the others and then smiled at Ritsu.

"I don't see why that would be a problem. We're going to be in this area until the bus is finished. You can search for them, as you help us look for supplies."

"Nori-chan," Wiriamu said. "Are you sure? That'd be two extra mouths to feed," he cast an eye toward Ritsu, "_**if**_ they're still alive to be found."

"They're _kids,_ Wiriamu," Norimi replied, spreading her arms. "But in spite of that, here they are, still together and still alive. We could use more of that kind of spirit! And … besides," Norimi closed her eyes, clasping her hands together. "They're … they're the last link I have with Sawako and the others. I feel like it's only right that I help them."

"Hmph," Wiriamu grunted. He looked at Ritsu. "You've got our offer. Think it over … you can spend the night here, but I have to know where you stand by morning. Will you be with us, or not?"

* * *

><p>"What do you think?" Mio said, sitting in the corner of the room with her arms wrapped around her knees.<p>

"I think we need to find Ui and Azu-nyan as soon as possible," Yui replied, aimlessly picking chords on her guitar.

Ritsu nodded. For the first time in a while, she felt almost completely pain-free. Norimi and her friends had pain pills they were willing to share.

"How about you, Mio-chan?" Mugi said, wiping down her shotgun.

"I-I don't know what to think," Mio replied. "I mean … the more of us there are, the less likely we'll get … eaten."

"But?"

"The men really make me nervous … Toyosaki-san especially."

Mugi shook her head. "Toyosaki-san is just very blunt, I think. Taketatsu-san and Norimi-chan both seem to know what they're doing," she added, looking down. For a moment, she looked like she wanted to say more.

"Ricchan," Yui said.

"What," Ritsu replied, looking up.

"You're quiet. What do _you_ think?"

"Yeah, Ricchan … of all of us, I think your view should count the most," Mugi said.

"Is that so," Ritsu replied, shaking her head. Something caught her eye, and she looked to see the black face of a dead TV. She stared into it, finding a gaunt, battered, ghost staring back at her; a ghost dressed in torn, muddied, and blood-soaked rags.

She blinked. It blinked. She looked down, and it mirrored her gesture. _No wonder he pulled that sword on me,_ she thought. _Damn, I am _messed up.

"Guys," Ritsu said. "I'm tired of running."

"Ritsu," Mio said, sitting up a little straighter.

"I-I haven't felt right," Ritsu said. "Not in a while. I'm just y'know … tired."

"Ricchan?"

"It's … all catching up," Ritsu replied, shaking her head. It was her turn to draw her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. "A-and I don't know how much m-more I can take. I just … every day I want to cry, b-but I can't … 'cuz I have to keep running."

"Ricchan, what are you saying?" Mugi started toward Ritsu.

"I worry about Nori-chan and her friends too," Ritsu replied. "They've pointed guns … drawn _swords_ on me … but … I have to admit, they're offering a pretty sweet deal."

"Y-yeah," Mio said. "Help the do their dirty work. W-we'd still be in danger every day we're with them."

"Hey," Ritsu smiled ever so faintly. "Nothing wrong with a hard day's work, right?"

"I," Mio bit her lip. "I never thought I'd hear you say that, Ritsu."

"I'm … just full of surprises," Ritsu replied. "Yeah, helping them'd be as dangerous as striking out on our own … but we'd have somewhere to come back to at the end of the day, at least for a while."

"Ritsu," Mio echoed, dropping her face into her arms.

"Okay," Mugi said, causing Mio to look up again.

"I understand completely," she added. "If Ricchan wants to stay, and Yui-chan wants to find Ui-chan and Azusa-chan, then this is the best choice."

"Mugi … Yui … Do you think they'll let us put Azusa and Ui first? Over their own interests?" Mio said.

Yui made an unhappy noise.

"It'd be harder to do on our own, though," Mugi replied. "We'd have to look for them, and find our own supplies and shelter, _and_ survive the zombies."

"W-we've been doing o-okay so far."

"We had Azu-nyan and Ui with us," Yui said.

"Mio," Ritsu said. "All we've been doing so far … is surviving the zombies."

"I," Mio started to say. "I … I know," she said, sighing. "I-I just don't feel comfortable with these people."

"It won't be just you, Mio," Ritsu said, slowly unfolding herself and crawling over to Mio. "Look … I'm tired, but … we're all in this together, right?"

"That's right!" Yui said. "We will always be Houkago Tea Time … no matter what!"

"We will," Mugi said. "We can help them, but it doesn't mean we have to stay … if it doesn't work out, we'll leave."

"D-do you mean that?"

Mugi nodded.

"She does," Ritsu said. "So … so do I," she added, draping an arm around Mio. "If it comes down to it … I guess … I guess maybe I've still got some running left in me," she added, leaning heavily against Mio.

* * *

><p>Azusa was walking home from school with a tall blonde girl she didn't recognize.<p>

_She did really good today,_ she found herself thinking, not knowing why she would think that. _I really need to praise her somehow._

Huh.

She thought about it for a moment.

"_You did good, Azusa," Mio said reaching over to gently pat Azusa's head, momentarily caressing her hair with her fingertips._

That's it! That's what she would do! Azusa reached for the blonde, trying to pat her on the head. What she hadn't considered was just how _tall_ the girl really was.

The blonde looked at her, her Western blue eyes expressing a sense of puzzlement. Suddenly, she reached over, gently patting Azusa on the head.

"W-why'd you do that!" Azusa exclaimed.

"Why'd I do what, Azu-nyan," Yui asked. Both were sitting around a gas lantern, and Azusa could hear the faint grunting of zombies somewhere in the distance.

"N-nothing," Azusa said, blinking. "I guess I was zoning out there. Um, Yui-senpai?"

"Yeah?"

"You haven't seen a blonde Western girl around here, have you?"

"Nuh-uh," Yui shook her head. "I mean," she said, wrapping herself around Azusa, "I've got my cute little kitty right here."

Azusa leaned back, and it somehow felt right.

"You're gonna wake up now, Azu-nyan," Yui said.

"Huh," Azusa replied.

"You're gonna wake up, but you have to be quiet," Yui repeated.

"Quiet? Why, Yui-sen … mmph!"

Yui's fingertip was pressed against Azusa's lips.

"Shhh," Yui said. "Be quiet now, Azusa … shhhh …"

0-== HIII ==-0

" … see that?" Someone said. Azusa was curled up on a tatami mat, with her eyes closed.

"It doesn't look _that_ bad," another voice … Sachi's, replied. Azusa didn't dare to open her eyes, or make a move. Yui's words from her dream still echoed strongly in her mind.

"Were you watching her at all?" That was Akira speaking. "I'm telling you guys there's something not right with her."

_Who are they talking about? Ui or I? Why are they even talking like that at all?_

"Well, Akira," Ayame said. "What are you suggesting we do about it?"

"We can't just leave them," Sachi added.

Azusa curled up tighter, furrowing her brow.

"I wasn't saying that!"

"Not so loud," Ayame hissed. "They're both asleep … you'll wake them!"

"Sorry," Akira replied, lowering her voice. "We have to do _something_, though."

"Like what?" Sachi said.

"Well," Akira sounded thoughtful. "I wonder if her friend knows?"

_Knows what?_ Azusa thought. _W-what are these people getting at? What are they trying to do?_

It was all she could do _not_ to jump when she felt a light touch on her shoulder. She felt someone pull her blanket up over her shoulders, and then gently touch her cheek.

"I don't know," Ayame said, very close by. "Whatever we do … we don't have to do it _right now._ Don't know about you guys, but watching them sleep is making me tired."

"Fine, but we're not done talking about this," Akira replied. Azusa heard her get up. "I'll take first watch."

"You always do, Akira," Ayame replied.

"After I had to wake you up _and_ save you from those zombies … how can I not?"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes<strong>:  
>- All the new characters have been introduced.<br>- If all the last names sound familiar to you … well, they should be. The members of Norimi's party all share last names with the seiyuus of K-On!'s main cast.  
>- For that matter, the family names of every non-show or non-related character in the story have been drawn from the credits of the show.<br>- When Mugi mentions she remembers Wiriamu's ganmodoki, she's referring to events that happened in _K-ON!_ Episode 10.  
>- There are a few references to <em>Left 4 Dead<em> here too. In the _The Sacrifice_ tie-in comic, Bill wants to steal a sailboat and sail to the Florida Keys for the exact same reasons given here. Louis also gets his leg torn up by Witches in much the same manner as Daisuke.  
>- Yes, I have cleverly inserted another Sumire appearance into the story, even though she's been dead for nearly ten chapters now. Also, part of Azusa's dream was lifted straight out of the high school restart manga.<br>- Leave reviews … you know you wanna.  
>- Thanks for reading!<p> 


	18. Chapter 17

**Dead Crossing**:  
><em>Twice the bullets means twice the zombies.<em>

Ritsu and Mio were alone, again. It was dark inside the warehouse, the only light being the one under Ritsu's borrowed pistol.

"I-I hear something," Mio whispered, clutching her rifle.

Ritsu nodded, slowly sweeping her pool of light from one side to the other. It sounded like the whole place was breathing. Like it was alive with the shuffling footsteps of zombies.

"Is it something close," she dared to ask.

"Uh … uh huh," Mio replied.

"Not so close, Akiyama-san," Ritsu said. "I don't wanna get shot."

"Y-you've got the only flashlight!"

"Reeeeeargh!"

_Yellow eyeshine!_

"Mio!"

_Bam! Bam! Bam!_

The zombie sprawled out in front of Ritsu, just as several other shapes started lurching toward them, just outside the beam of her light.

Mio's rifle erupted in thunder, and the crates surrounding them were lit in fiery strobe light. Humanoid shapes writhed and fell as Ritsu swung her light back and forth, trying to find things for Mio to shoot.

_Bam! Bam! Bam!_

A jockey's giggle was interrupted, and it collapsed to the ground.

"Hooooooouuugh!"

_Crash!_

"Mio! No!"

The charger held Mio fast, driving her into a crate. Ritsu heard wood crack under the force, and Mio's breath leave her in an explosive scream.

"Goddamn it, goddamn it, goddamn it!" Ritsu punched and kicked the zombie as hard as she could, but it had no effect.

_Crash!_

The charger threw Mio into a stack of boxes, and Ritsu saw an opening.

"Get away from her!" Ritsu screamed, pulling the trigger of her gun as fast as she could. Her ears rang, and her wrists hurt, but she kept shooting until…

_Click!_

She gaped at the locked-open slide of her gun, but the charger wasn't moving anymore.

"Mio!" Ritsu shouted.

Nothing.

"Miooooo!" Ritsu screamed.

Suddenly, she saw the tall girl struggling to sit up amidst crumpled and torn cardboard.

"Mio," Ritsu gasped, running to Mio's side. "A-are you okay?"

"N-nothing feels broken," Mio said, moaning. "It … it sure hurts, though."

"I'm … I'm sorry," Ritsu said, blinking rapidly.

"You kids okay!" An old man's voice said somewhere behind them.

"Where _were_ you?" Ritsu yelled, having wheeled back to see Wiriamu and Tomohiro.

"Checking out the other side, just as we agreed," Tomohiro replied. "We heard the gunfire and we came as fast as we could."

"We didn't give you radios so you'd get jumped by zombies and not call for backup," Wiriamu growled, pointing to the bright yellow radio on Ritsu's hip. He looked over at Mio.

"Looks like a charger got you. Can you get up?"

"I … I think so," Mio replied. Ritsu glared at the two men for a moment longer, and then turned back to Mio, taking her friend's hands. With her help, Mio hauled herself to her feet and then brushed herself off. Ritsu couldn't help but sigh with relief, as she saw no blood.

"Thanks," Mio murmured. Ritsu nodded jerkily, turning back to the two men.

"Did you find anything over there?"

"Nothing," Wiriamu grunted. "Just more of these industrial parts … don't think there's anything here that anyone can use."

Ritsu nodded. Yui and Mugi were with Norimi. That left her and Mio with the two men in front of her.

"It's a large warehouse," Tomohiro said. "We've only searched a small part of it. We should keep moving."

Ritsu wanted to snap at the man, but felt Mio's hand on her shoulder, squeezing.

"R-right," she said. "Sooner we finish up, the sooner we get out of here, right?"

"Something like that," Wiriamu replied. "Though if we do find something, don't think you're getting out of helping carry it."

"Maybe we should change how we split up," Tomohiro said.

"N-n-no!" Mio replied. "I … I … just … no!"

Wiriamu surveyed the dead zombies surrounding them and shook his head.

"They seem to be doing just fine, Tomohiro," he said. "Next time though, you kids should try to remember that you've got radios. Use 'em!"

* * *

><p><em>Click!<em>

_Click! Click! Click!_

_Click! Click!_

"I … I think I'm finally starting to get it," Ayame said. She held an empty revolver in her hands. Ui smiled brightly.

"Yes you are, Ayame-senpai," she replied. "I haven't seen the front drop a single time!"

Azusa watched Ayame and Akira dry-fire their revolvers, and wiped her eyes. She could still remember, clearly, when Nodoka taught her and Ui how to shoot. She wondered how much different things would've been if Nodoka were still around to lead them.

"Azusa-san," Sachi said, kneeling down next to her. "Are you all right?"

Azusa nodded quickly. She hadn't felt well the whole morning, but after the previous night, she wasn't going to admit it.

"Y-yeah," she said. "I was just remembering someone we lost in all this."

Sachi gently laid a hand on Azusa's shoulder, withdrawing the contact an instant later.

"I'm sorry, Azusa-san," she replied. "Were you close?"

"I don't know," Azusa said. "She was Yui-senpai's friend more than anything else."

"So she wasn't in your band?"

"Nuh-uh," Azusa replied. "She was president of the Student Council, though, and she helped make a lot of things happen when Ritsu-senpai would forget to turn in paperwork … which she did a lot."

"Ayame's kinda the same way," Sachi said, a smile crossing her lips. "Akira's always on her when something slips her mind."

"H-have you guys lost anyone?"

Sachi looked away for a moment.

"Just f-family … and friends from school … that kind of thing," she replied. "All of it right at the start … I-I guess you could say we've been pretty lucky so far. No one in the band has died yet."

"Azusa-chan," Ui said, bending down in front of her.

"Yeah?"

"I think I've shown them all I can with the pistols," Ui replied. "Do you wanna show them how to use the rifles?"

"M-me?"

"Yeah," Ui replied, smiling while tilting her head. "I think it'd be good for you … I mean I remember how you're always showing Onee-chan new things on the guitar, and you always look so happy when you're doing it."

_Happy, huh?_ Azusa thought. _I guess … well … I'm just happy when she doesn't forget something _else_ to learn something new!_

None of that, she'd ever tell Ui though. But, maybe Ui had a point. She couldn't sit there all morning. Yui-senpai and the others were out there somewhere; and their new friends _had_ asked them to show them how to use guns before they could go look.

"Okay," Azusa said, standing up and reaching for her rifle. "Senpais? Come closer, please? I've got some things to show you."

As Ui stepped back, the others crowded closer. Azusa nodded, picking up her rifle. They were now looking at her, and it was making her uneasy.

"I'm sorry I don't know all the right … terms," she said, "but these clips hold the bullets."

_Click._

The magazine fell free into Azusa's hand, and she held it out to Ayame.

"Here."

"T-thank you," Ayame said, carefully taking the magazine. Azusa nodded. It felt like the room had gotten warmer.

"You use this knob here to charge it," she said, pulling on the bolt. "You push it forward on a full clip. And then you … you …"

"Azusa-chan?" Ui said.

"I," Azusa replied. Her vague feelings of un-wellness had erupted into sudden, stomach-churning, nausea.

"Just … just a moment please," she said. All eyes were on her. And their expressions … what were they thinking of her?

_What are they planning?_ A voice in her head yelled.

"No," Azusa murmured.

_Crash!_

Her rifle clattered to the floor at her side. Her stomach burned and heaved.

"Oh no," she moaned, dropping to her knees. She heard a sudden commotion … everybody jumped back at the exact same moment she vomited.

Her stomach heaved, and heaved, and all she could taste was foulness. All she could hear was last night's dinner and this morning's breakfast hitting the floor.

She fell into a fit of coughing, feeling tears coming to her eyes as she clutched at the floor.

"Azusa-chan!" She heard Ui yell. She felt Ui's hand on her shoulder and she felt her muscles tense as she whipped her head back and locked eyes on Ui.

"Azusa-chan," Ui repeated, not moving. "Are … are you okay?"

"I," Azusa's heart was racing as she forced herself to look away from Ui and down at the floor. She found herself staring into a puddle of deep red-tinted black.

"Oh no," she whispered. "Oh no … oh no … oh no …"

_Yui-senpai! Help me! _Nothing answered her, and she felt herself falling, even as the world faded mercifully to black.

* * *

><p>"Azu-nyan," Yui whispered, stopping. Mugi barely avoided running into her, and Norimi stopped as well, looking back.<p>

"Yui-chan, what's wrong?" Mugi said, frowning.

Yui looked around, leaning against an abandoned car.

"I … I don't know," she replied. "I," she started to say, frowning. "I got a very Azu-nyan-ish feeling just now, and I dunno where it came from."

"Yui-chan," Mugi said, looking down for a moment. "I guess … it's only natural that she's going to be on our minds."

"Y-yeah," Yui replied, a small, thoughtful frown on her lips.

"Are you okay?" Norimi asked, turning to face Yui.

"I … I think so. It was just really, _really_, weird," Yui replied.

"I'm sure we'll find them both," Norimi said, reaching out to rub Yui's shoulder. "Azusa and your sister. But," she added, gesturing around them with her other hand, "we really need to keep moving."

* * *

><p>"God <em>damn, <em>will you get a load of this," Ritsu heard Wiriamu swear.

"What've you got, old man," Tomohiro replied. Ritsu and Mio exchanged glances, frowning in the darkness.

"You kids, get over here and look at this," Wiriamu growled.

"R-right," Mio said, her head jerking up. Her eyes found Ritsu's, blinking rapidly.

"Let's go," Ritsu said, nodding, clutching her flashlight tighter. She followed Mio, toward the darting flashlight beams.

"That _is_ a find," Tomohiro said. "Not sure what use it is, though."

"Are you kidding?" Wiriamu replied, looking up at Ritsu and Mio. "Will you kids hurry it up?"

Ritsu bit her lip, stumbling through the darkness, only to find herself staring into a crate filled with four liter metal cans.

"O-oil," she said, frowning at one of the labels.

"Yes, oil," Wiriamu replied with a nod. "But not just any oil," he added, pulling one of the cans out of the crate. "Canola oil."

"Cooking oil," Tomohiro spat. "What good is that going to do us, old man?"

"He ... is a cook," Ritsu said, frowning, her mind searching for the significance.

"Of all the meals you prepare ... how many of 'em need cooking oil?" Wiriamu replied, nodding again. "You can also burn it in lamps if you had to. This is valuable stuff here."

Tomohiro lifted a can out of the crate, scowling at it. "It's also heavy. There are only ... four ... of us here, old man."

"Hey," Ritsu replied. "I can carry a lot!"

Tomohiro scoffed. "How many can you carry all the way back to the safehouse? Fighting the infected all the way?"

"Lay off her, Tomohiro," Wiriamu said. "You and I can carry, and they can fight."

"I still don't know how far I want to trust them," Tomohiro replied.

"You have to start _somewhere,_" Wiriamu said. "And as far as I'm concerned, it may as well be here."

"Will they fight, though?"

"You seen that horde these two shot through? I'm sure they can handle it."

Ritsu looked at Mio, and they both nodded.

"Yeah," Ritsu said. "W-we can take care of the zombies," she said, trying her best to look Tomohiro in the eye. Briefly, their eyes met, and Tomohiro looked away, scoffing.

"All right," he said. "Let's see how many of these cans you can carry, old man."

* * *

><p>"I think you should bite me, Azu-nyan," Yui said, tilting her head to one side, and exposing her neck.<p>

"Wh-why would I want to do that, Yui-senpai!"

"So I can become just like you," Yui replied. "And you don't have to call me 'Senpai' anymore ... just call me Yui."

Azusa frowned, biting her lip.

"W-what do you mean, Yui-senpai ... I don't understand."

"Yui, Azu-nyan, _Yui_."

"I-I don't get you, Y-Yui," Azusa breathed in, looking around. It was dark, but everything seemed tinged in red.

"Aww, Azu-nyan, you will ... oh!" Yui pounded her fist into the palm of her hand. "I know ... I shouldn't be calling you Azu-nyan anymore. I should be calling you ... Azu-nyan-senpai!"

"Senpai?" Azusa echoed. Suddenly, she spied a compact mirror on the desk. She felt compelled to snatch it up, flipping it open.

As she gazed into the mirror, glowing yellow eyes stared back at her ...

"I want to be just like you," Yui said, grinning.

"Just like you," she repeated, her teeth starting to blacken, and her skin turning pale.

"Just like you," she said, softer, her tone a breathless moan, her hands becoming gnarled and claw-like.

"Just like you," she groaned, her glowing, yellow eyes staring into Azusa's.

"_Just like you…"_

* * *

><p>Azusa sat up with a start, screaming.<p>

"Azusa-chan!" Ui said, lunging toward Azusa, but the light was already going out in Azusa's eyes as they rolled back into her head and her eyelids fluttered shut. She fell back onto her bedroll and groaned.

"Azusa-chan," Ui echoed, reaching over to wipe Azusa's face with a washcloth. She looked so pale now, save for the angry red of the festering wounds on her scalp.

"Ui! Azusa!" Ayame said, dashing into the room. Behind her, Sachi and Akira followed.

"She … she's unconscious again," Ui said, swallowing hard. "I-I'm sorry, guys."

"Don't be," Ayame replied, trying to sound brave. Akira had her arms crossed over her chest as she stared down at Azusa.

"It won't be much longer," she said, her expression unreadable. "We're going to have to do something about her soon."

"Akira," Sachi said, leaning against the doorway. "M-maybe she isn't going to turn."

"Don't give me that!" Akira snapped. She heard Ui's gasp, and her expression softened. "I-I'm sorry," she offered. "It's just … she's not the first person we've seen turn. The vomiting, the blackout, the skin changes … I'm sorry Ui, but your friend is about to become one of them."

Ui stared down at Azusa, squeezing her washcloth.

"H-how do you know?" She whispered.

"There were a couple ... people ... who tried to help us," Akira replied, exhaling sharply.

"Yeah," Ayame added. "We ... thought they were immune like we were, but then they got bit and ... it was over almost before any of us knew what was going on."

"That was when Akira had to save Ayame," Sachi said. "She was supposed to keep watch over them, just like you're doing now, Ui-chan."

Ui nodded mutely, sniffling. "I ... I know," she replied. "But, she ... she means a lot to Onee-chan, and to the others."

Ayame gently touched Ui's shoulder.

"We've all lost someone who meant a lot to us in all this," she said. "Some of us ... more than others," she added, taking a deep breath.

"We can't stay here any more," Akira said. "Ui, I really am sorry, but we're going to have to leave here before she turns ... without her."

"Ui," Ayame said. "You're welcome to come with us. I promise you ... we'll get you back to your friends."

"Ayame," Akira said, narrowing her eyes.

"No, Akira," Ayame replied. "I know we haven't known them long, but ... I feel like ... I don't know."

"It'd be the right thing to do," Sachi said. "For both Ui, and for Azusa."

"Back to Onee-chan and the others," Ui said. "Without Azusa-chan."

"I'm sorry," Ayame replied, after a few moments.

Ui looked up at them, and then down at Azusa. Azusa moaned softly, almost corpse-like in her paleness.

"I," she started to say. _How can I leave Azusa? What will Onee-chan think of me? What will she think of me ... if I can't bring back her Azu-nyan?_

"I," she repeated, balling her hands into fists, gripping the front of her pants. _I don't want to face her ... I don't want to face the others!_

"I," she repeated, her lips trembling. _But I have to ... to ... to protect Onee-chan._

"I know," she said. The words came out half-groaned. "I know," she repeated, before looking down at Azusa.

"I ... I'm sorry," she whispered.

* * *

><p>"Well, I think this should be enough," Wiriamu said, hefting a large, bulging sack.<p>

"This is practically everything we've found," Tomohiro grunted.

"We might not be back here, so it doesn't hurt to be prepared, now does it?"

"In this case," Tomohiro replied, scowling. "This is not exactly comfortable. I would rather make them carry the oil," he added, gesturing toward Ritsu and Mio.

Ritsu bit her lip, and bit back the retort that had popped to the front of her mind.

"Someone needs to do the shooting," Wiriamu replied. "And I think it should be them."

"You already know how I feel about that," Tomohiro said. "Let's just get back to the safehouse already, old man. With everything we're carrying, we'll be lucky to make it back before dark."

"Finally, something we can agree on," Wiriamu replied.

"Yeah," Ritsu said, nodding quickly. The pills she'd taken earlier in the day were starting to wear off.

"All right," Wiriamu said. "You kids go first. We'll be right behind you."

"No," Tomohiro replied. "If I'm going to be slowed down carrying all of this, I want someone with a gun watching my back. So one of you takes point, and the other one brings up the rear."

"Mio," Ritsu said, starting to turn toward her friend.

"I ... I'll go first!" Mio already had her hand up in the air, as the words tumbled out of her.

"Mio," Ritsu said again, her mouth forming a shocked 'O'.

"I-I'll be the one in ... in front," Mio repeated.

"Mio ... why," Ritsu said, biting her lip.

"You," Mio started to reply, taking a deep breath, "have always been the one getting into trouble. And," she looked down, her lips moving wordlessly. "I-if we're going to make it back be ... before dark, we don't want to get into trouble, right?"

"Mio?"

"Right?" Mio replied, her eyes staring deep into Ritsu's. Ritsu stared back at her friend, and saw how pale, and how terrified she was.

_Why are you volunteering to do this, then Mio?_ Ritsu wanted to ask. Instead, she swallowed and nodded.

"R-right," Ritsu replied. "I ... guess I'll be bringing up the rear."

"Hmph, glad that was no trouble," Tomohiro said. "Come on. We've got a lot of ground to cover before nightfall."

* * *

><p>"Wiriamu and the others are on their way back," Norimi said, putting her radio away. Mugi looked at her, and then at Yui, before letting herself sigh with relief. She looked up to see dark gray clouds already filling the sky, promising another evening of rain.<p>

"Nori-chan," Yui said. "Did Ricchan and the others find anything?" Mugi bit her lip.

"They did," Norimi replied.

"But not Azu-nyan, or Ui," Yui said, looking down. Mugi noticed the absence of the question mark.

"I'm sorry, but no," Norimi replied. For the second time in the day, she reached over, gently rubbing Yui's shoulder. "Tomorrow's another day. We'll find them, I'm sure of it."

"Kawaguchi-san," Mugi said, raising her hand. "What _did_ they find?"

"Norimi, please," Norimi replied. "It sounds like they found cooking oil."

"Oh!" Yui suddenly looked up. "Does that mean we're having _korokke_ for dinner tonight?"

Mugi watched Norimi. The older woman smiled, turning back to Yui.

"Maybe, Yui-chan. Maybe," she replied. "You know, I would've had you pegged for someone who'd prefer something like _okonomiyaki_."

Mugi bit her lip, her stomach growling.

"_Korokke_ is easier to take with us," Yui replied, after several moments of silence.. "When we find Azu-nyan and Ui, I'm sure they'll be hungry!"

"Yui-chan," Mugi said softly, looking down.

"You're right," Norimi said, causing Mugi to look up again. "That's smart thinking, Yui-chan," she added.

"You think so?" Yui asked, a bit of color coming to her cheeks.

"Absolutely," Norimi replied. "I'll bring up your suggestion with Wiriamu when he and the others get back tonight."

* * *

><p>"I hate the rain," Tomohiro grunted as the first drops started to fall.<p>

"And just why is that," Ritsu said. The corners of her lips, unconsciously, ticked upward.

"Don't start with me," Tomohiro said. "I don't like it because it's harder to keep an eye out for the infected when it's raining."

"I wasn't starting anything," Ritsu replied. "I ... I just wanted to know."

"Right," Tomohiro said, turning away. Briefly, he touched the hilt of the sword hanging from his belt.

"You know what bothers _me_ about this rain?" Wiriamu said, a few moments later. "That it's the only thing I'm hearing."

Ritsu frowned, looking around, feeling the cold raindrops pattering against her head. It was _quiet_. Eerily so. No zombies. Just abandoned wrecks of cars and scattered junk.

"L-let's just keep moving," Mio suggested, her eyes starting to dart back and forth.

"Yeah, she's right," Ritsu replied, raising her voice. "Let's go!"

"Ritsu!" Mio gasped.

"Huh," Ritsu said.

"_Hraaaaargh!"_

"Crap," Ritsu squeaked, dropping into a crouch. "Goddamn it, not now," she hissed, reaching for her revolvers.

_CRASH!_

"_Raaaaaargh!"_

"Let's find some cover," Wiriamu growled. "Everybody move!"

"Those buildings over there," Tomohiro added.

Ritsu nodded mutely, following behind them, her eyes scanning for that tank.

_There!_

An impossibly huge shape appeared at the end of the street, with muscles rippling under rain-streaked skin.

"There it is!" Ritsu shouted, even as the tank started toward them. What immediately struck her was just how bad a shape the monster zombie looked to be in. Its skin was covered in soot, and where it wasn't covered in soot, it was covered in livid bruises, sores, and even...

"Bullet wounds?" Ritsu cried out. "Mio! That's the one that was at the school a couple days ago!"

"Great, you recognize it," Tomohiro snapped. "Now let's get somewhere where we can stop it!"

Mio's rifle rang out, the sharp report echoing down the street. She stood there, seemingly rooted to the spot.

"What are you doing!" Tomohiro said, but it was too late.

"Mio!" Ritsu said, lifting her revolvers, and rushing over toward her friend.

_Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!_

The tank thundered toward them, knocking a car to the side. Already, blood was trickling down its body from fresh wounds.

"Light it up," Wiriamu said behind her. "That thing's almost finished!"

Behind her, Ritsu heard other guns going off. She reloaded her revolvers, backing up as she fired into the tank. It staggered toward them, blood dripping onto the pavement.

"I think we got it," she said.

_SCREECH!_

Ritsu screamed, feeling the fender of the car clipping her, sending her sprawling. Her guns were gone in an instant, and all she could see was the dark gray sky.

"Ritsu!" Mio screamed.

_Don't stop shooting!_ Ritsu wanted to scream, but her mouth refused to work right. Suddenly, a shape blotted out all light.

"C'mon! Get up, get up!" Wiriamu said. "You don't have time to be laying around like this!" He grabbed her wrist, pulling her to a sitting position. As she struggled to find her feet, Ritsu saw the tank charging up behind them.

"Hurry! Hurry!" Wiriamu growled, looking over his shoulder. "We really pissed that thing off!"

As Ritsu staggered to her feet, she suddenly felt herself stumbling forward. Tomohiro caught her, barely sparing a moment to throw her behind him.

"What are you doing, old man!" Tomohiro shouted. Ritsu heard a meaty impact and then Wiriamu screamed. Again, Ritsu was jerked to her feet, and Tomohiro shoved a pistol into her hand.

"Take this and be useful!" Ritsu struggled to focus her eyes, seeing the tank turning away from them, to charge toward Wiriamu's prone form.

_Bam! Bam! Bam!_

Ritsu fired, over and over, at that tank. Off to one side, Mio started shooting again. Off to her other side, she heard Tomohiro's rifle crackle. The tank slowed to a halt, turning back on them, but it was too late. As it started toward them, it lost its footing, slumping heavily to the pavement. It was now very still.

"Wiriamu!" Tomohiro shouted, running toward the older man. Ritsu charged after him, stumbling as dizziness broke over her. She felt Mio catch her, and they hurried over together. When they arrived, Wiriamu had pulled himself up into a sitting position, his clothes soaked in blood.

"What the hell were you thinking, old man," Tomohiro snapped. "We've got to get you out of here!"

"No ... no ... you and those kids have got to get out of here. I ... I can't feel my legs."

"You'll die out here!"

"And ... and if you try to drag me out of here, so will you," Wiriamu replied. "That ... that racket's gonna draw attention. You get out of here ... make sure Nori-chan and everyone makes it."

"And what the hell are you going to do, old man?"

"I'll ... I'll hold 'em off," Wiriamu replied. "I'll go down with a fight ... they won't get the chance to eat me."

Somewhere in the distance, Ritsu could hear snarls and screams. As her eyes briefly left Wiriamu's, she spied her the glint of her guns in the street.

"God damn it, old man," Tomohiro spat. "Well, you heard him," he said, glaring at Mio and Ritsu. "Let's get out of here before the infected show up."

"We ... we're going to leave him," Mio said.

"Yes," Tomohiro replied. He looked like he was about to snap something else at her, but then he glanced at Wiriamu again.

Ritsu looked down at Wiriamu again.

"Get out of here Tainaka-san," Wiriamu replied, working the bolt on his rifle. "I don't have any regrets about what I did ... and as long as you don't get yourself killed, I won't."

Ritsu nodded jerkily, turning away. She hurried over to where she spotted her guns. One, and then the other, went into her waistband.

"You," Tomohiro said behind her. Ritsu turned, blinking rapidly, hating how her eyes now burned.

"W-what is it?"

"You'd better mark my words," Tomohiro replied. "I am _**not**_ going to forget this."

"I," Ritsu started to reply, her tears momentarily forgotten.

"Let's _go_," Tomohiro said, turning away. "We don't have much time."

* * *

><p>Mugi carried the pot of tea into the living room, setting it down with the empty teacups. She inhaled deeply, and the tea smelled good. It was expensive tea, and a small part of her wondered how Norimi and her friends had gotten it.<p>

"Mugi-chan, can I help?" Yui said, looking up at her.

Mugi smiled and shook her head.

"Let me do this, Yui-chan," she replied.

"That sure smells good, Kotobuki-san," Daisuke said, leaning forward.

"She's an alumnus of the Sakuragaoka Light Music Club," Norimi replied. "There's always _someone_ who knows how to make a killer cup of tea in the club."

"I ... I'm glad I'm able to carry on the tradition," Mugi said, feeling her cheeks warm.

There was a loud noise from the foyer. Mugi stood up with a start, her body tensing. Her shotgun was in the kitchen.

"Don't shoot, it's just us," she heard a man's voice ... Tomohiro's say. "We're back," he added.

"We're in here,' Daisuke said. "Kotobuki-san was just about to serve tea!"

The man with the dyed hair emerged into the living room a few moments later, followed by Ritsu and Mio. Mugi's hand shot up to her mouth, hiding her shock. Both of her friends looked like they'd been in a fight.

"Tom-chan," Norimi said, standing up. "Where's Wiriamu?"

"Norimi," Tomohiro replied, shooting an icy glance in Mugi's direction. "Come with me. We need to talk. _Now._"

* * *

><p>Ui sat by Azusa's side. It was just the two of them, alone. It was dark inside the farmhouse, the only light being the flickering glow of a candle.<p>

Azusa groaned, and Ui reached over to wipe her forehead with a damp cloth. She dropped it back into the bucket she had at her side, and then stared down at the revolver that gleamed in her lap.

It was all she had left. A single gun. She'd given the other weapons to Ayame and the others. They were waiting for her, somewhere up the road. She had to get back to Onee-chan, and the others. She would do everything she could to find Yui, and make sure she got out alive.

It was the only thing keeping her going now.

"No, no, no," Azusa moaned, turning her head from side to side. Her eyes seemed to dart back and forth behind their lids.

"Shhh, Azusa-chan," Ui said. "It's okay," she added, wiping Azusa's brow. She would be with Azusa, until the end. It was the only way she'd be able to face the others.

"Yui ... senpai," Azusa groaned. Her eyes were barely open.

"Nuh-uh, it's ... it's just Ui here," Ui replied, feeling her chest ache.

"Yui-senpai ... love," Azusa said.

"I know," Ui whispered, closing her eyes, feeling them fill with tears. "S-she ... loves you too."

She opened her eyes, trying to blink away the tears. Azusa's blurry form was still again. She shook, feeling wetness course down her cheeks. She took Azusa's hand in her own, clutching it tightly.

It was some time later that Ui gently laid Azusa's hand back down, wiped her eyes, and staggered to her feet.

"I ... I'll be right back, Azusa-chan," she said. Each word stuck in her throat, and they made her feel dirty to say ... but the time had come. She tucked her gun into its holster, and made her way into the room where she had her pack all made up and ready to go.

"I'm sorry, Azusa-chan," she whispered, shouldering her pack. All that she heard in response was a certain breathy silence. She turned around to leave that room, and to say her goodbye.

"I'm back, Azusa ... chan?" Ui said, as her eyes dropped to the blanket on the mat next to the flickering candle. Only Azusa was not in it.

"Azusa," Ui said, biting her lip. "W-where are you?"

Nothing.

Ui reached for her flashlight, swallowing nervously.

"Azusa-chan?" She repeated, pushing the switch forward. Light flooded the room, and there was a scream.

_Yellow eyes__hine__! _

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>  
>- And the thing that I've been hinting at since the beginning is finally coming to pass.<br>- Azusa's feelings of inappropriate paranoia that have bubbled up on-and-off throughout the story are based off events from the _The Sacrifice_ tie-in comic for _Left 4 Dead._  
>- The games seem to toy a bit with the conventional wisdom that being bitten by a zombie makes you a zombie. The Church Guy from <em>Left 4 Dead<em> mutters about being bitten, and turns out to have turned into a zombie. On the other hand, player-controlled Survivors are "Carriers" of the Green Flu, so they don't become zombies … although it isn't really clear whether or not any of the zombies are trying to bite you; as opposed to kicking your head in.  
>- Cooking oil is actually pretty high on the list of things so-called "survivalist" resources suggest you keep your hurricaneearthquake/zombie apocalypse/the Apocalypse/other general apocalypses/asteroid impact/invasion of Illuminati/UN/government/space-alien jackboots shelter.  
>- The Tank seen here is, in fact, the same one from the end of the <em>Dead Serious<em> chapter.  
>- This arc ends next chapter, and the final arc will begin on the chapter after that. The end hasn't arrived yet, but you can just about see it from here.<br>- Thanks to my pre-reader, who felt that reading about K-ON! + zombies would be a lovely way to top off a 4th of July cookout.  
>- And thanks to <em>you<em>, gentle readers. See you next chapter!


	19. Chapter 18

**Dead Crossed**:  
><em>You don't know what's coming.<em>

Glowing embers rained down before Ritsu, cutting glowing trails across her vision. In a way, they reminded her of tears ... the tears she refused to let herself shed in her loneliness.

She dropped her head into arms, drawing her knees up tighter. She bit her lip, trying not to think. Trying not to worry about the others; and Mio. Mio especially.

"Hey, Tainaka-san," a man's voice called out.

Ritsu slowly lifted her head, finding the dark man's eyes on her. His welding goggles were perched atop his head, and he wore a heavy apron scoured with burn marks.

"Yeah," she replied.

"What's wrong?"

"I ... I just wish I was with the others," Ritsu replied, exhaling slowly.

"I sure know the feeling," Daisuke replied, gently touching his leg. "If it weren't for this, you'd better believe I'd be out there killing as many zombies as possible for what they did to Wiriamu."

Ritsu winced, her body tensing.

"I loved him like a brother," Daisuke said. "Everything he did, he did for others. For the team."

"I'm sorry," Ritsu murmured, her head sinking.

"Hey," Daisuke replied, reaching out to touch Ritsu's shoulder. She tensed up at the contact. "I just want to let you know that I don't blame you for what happened. I ain't Tomohiro, and I'm sure the others aren't either."

"Thanks," Ritsu replied, closing her eyes.

"Hey, I got some more welding to do," she heard the dark man say. "I'll be back in a bit."

Ritsu opened her eyes, just in time to see him walking back to the side of the bus. She watched him put his goggles back on. She saw him put the welder to metal. She saw the bright spark, and the embers began to rain once more. She closed her eyes again, just as the world started to spin.

"Goddamn it," she hissed. "Goddamn it, goddamn it, goddamn it." The dizziness came with waves of pain that radiated from her temples, reverberating inside her skull. With them, came memories ... _unwelcome _ memories.

_... Earlier ..._

Ritsu leaned against the doorway, feeling Mio's warmth as her best friend leaned against the wall next to her. The good feelings evaporated as she saw Tomohiro come down the stairs. The man hadn't even bothered to hide his dislike of the girls ... not since Wiriamu was killed.

As he passed Ritsu, his upper lip curled.

"Don't just stand there. We've got work to do."

Ritsu felt her cheeks burn as the man passed her by.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she replied. "C'mon Mio," she said, pushing off from the wall. As she stepped forward, she had the distinct sense that her knees had just given out from under her.

...

"Ritsu ... Ritsu!"

"C'mon Ritsu!"

"Ritsu ... please?"

Ritsu murmured and groaned. Her head hurt something fierce. Just then, she realized that she wasn't standing anymore. Her eyes fluttered open, and she found herself staring up into Mio's eyes. Felt her head resting on Mio's thighs.

"You're awake!" Mio said.

"Not ... so loud," Ritsu managed to reply. "Hurts," she added, just as the others swam into view; their faces mirroring the panicked expression Mio wore.

"What happened?"

"Y-you blacked out," Mio replied, her words coming out in a jumble. "It was like one second, you'd started walking and then y ... you were out like a light!"

"Don't remember," Ritsu moaned, but then she felt like slapping her forehead. Of _course_ she wasn't going to remember.

"Did you enjoy your nap?" That was Tomohiro.

"That wasn't very nice," Yui remarked.

"She blacked out!" Mio said, glaring at the man with the dyed hair.

"Yeah," Tomohiro replied. "Either way, now I'm sure I don't want her watching my back on patrol today. Join the rest of us when you're ready."

* * *

><p>"What is his problem," Ritsu said, balling her hands into fists, as the dizziness faded.<p>

The rain of sparks stopped, and Daisuke turned back to look at her, flipping up his welder's mask.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?"

Ritsu felt her cheeks flush, and she bit her lip.

"No," she replied, "It's nothing … I mean," she said, before exhaling sharply. "Okay, fine. What's Toyosaki-san's problem with us? Why is he so hostile?" Her cheeks burned hotter as the realization of what she'd just said hit her. "I'm sorry!"

Daisuke laughed softly, though the sound bore little amusement. For a moment, their eyes met, and Ritsu noticed how sad the man's expression suddenly was.

"I don't mind you asking that," he replied. "If I were you, I'd be wondering the same thing. You should know that … Tomohiro hasn't always been this way; it hasn't always been this bad."

Ritsu leaned back.

"What … do you mean?"

Daisuke looked down and away for several moments, and then his eyes met Ritsu's once more.

"There … there used to be another group of survivors with us."

"Used to be," Ritsu echoed, frowning. "W-what happened to them?"

"Well, it's not a good story … and I'm really not sure I should be telling you."

Ritsu lowered her head once more. "I see," she replied. "You don't have to tell."

"Well," Daisuke said, before slowly shaking his head. "Look, as long as you keep it quiet, okay?"

Ritsu nodded slowly. 'Quiet' would just mean not telling Yui.

Daisuke silently held her gaze for a few moments longer.

"There were three of them … two guys. And a girl. The girl was … well, she was about your age, actually. She said she was a singer or actress of some sort, but that's not really important."

"Well, what was?"

"Well," Daisuke said. "She and Tomohiro ... they kinda developed a thing for each other."

"Huh," Ritsu replied. She then had to bite her lip, feeling the sudden, inappropriate, urge to giggle. "A-are we talking about the same guy here?"

"Absolutely," Daisuke replied. "Like I said, he wasn't always this bad. In fact, he argued for the others to come along. It was _Wiriamu_ who didn't want them."

"Okay," Ritsu said. "Mind. Blown. So you're telling me … that … that Wiriamu and Toyosaki-san were exact opposites of the way they are now; and Toyosaki-san had a girlfriend?"

"Well, we all loved Min," Daisuke said, looking down. "She was like everyone's little sister. Even Wiriamu started to come around by the end. It was just that … what she and Tomohiro had was _special._"

"I … guess it didn't end well," Ritsu said, after several moments of thoughtful silence.

"No," Daisuke replied. "I mean, not Tomohiro and Min's relationship. It was the whole situation."

"So, what happened?"

Daisuke stared down at his hands. After a while, his eyes finally met Ritsu's.

"Th-they weren't immune … the two men who were with Min. I still remember it like it was yesterday. It was back when the military was still keeping a couple of the rail lines cleared. We'd been told when the train'd get there, and that it'd only stop for a few minutes."

"And then … there was a horde, right?" Ritsu said, smiling wryly.

Daisuke chuckled softly. "Yeah. There's _always_ a horde. It's … it's like they can smell us. Like they can smell our anticipation."

Ritsu nodded, pressing her lips together. "W-what happened next?"

"Well … the train came, and we were trying to fight our way to the platform, when the guys we thought were our friends … they stopped shooting, dropped their guns, and started trying to attack us. A-and they got to Min, and she got separated from the rest of us … just when we got aboard the train."

Daisuke closed his eyes, taking several deep, unsteady, breaths.

"When Tomohiro tried to go back for her … Wiriamu walloped him and told the military to go. Told us, later, that _we_ were the ones he considered to be his 'family.' Can you imagine that?"

Ritsu closed her own eyes, and she was immediately greeted by Mio's ghostly face. Next to her, were Mugi and Yui. Peeking out behind them were Ui and Azusa.

"Y-yeah I could," she replied. "Totally," she added, remembering the promise that she made … that if it got bad, they'd leave Norimi and her friends and strike out on their own once again. She shook her head, feeling sudden dizziness.

"I can see it," Daisuke said. "You girls seem pretty tight. Maybe that's why Wiriamu surprised us all by letting you tag along."

"Maybe … it was his way of apologizing," Ritsu replied.

"I can see that too," Daisuke said, a few moments later. "Well, now you know. Tomohiro's not all bad … and I'm sure he'll warm up to you, if you just give him a chance."

"We'll see," Ritsu managed. "How about the rest of you?"

"I … don't have a problem with you all," Daisuke replied. Ritsu caught the pause, and it sent her eyebrows up. "I mean, it's good to have other people to talk to. It may not look like it to you, but things between everyone was still kinda tense; after what happened to Min. Maybe some of that can relax now."

"Well, glad to be of service," Ritsu said, reaching up to adjust her bandana. Daisuke smiled in return, though the gesture struck Ritsu as unusually restrained, given everything he'd just shared.

"Well," he said. "I've gotta get back to welding now. Sorry it was such a long story, but I hope you understand now."

"I think I do," Ritsu replied.

* * *

><p>"Mugi," Mio said, looking over at the blonde. "W-what do you think is wrong with Ritsu?"<p>

She watched Mugi's expression stiffen, and watched her blue eyes drop. Immediately, she felt a familiar nausea lurking at the pit of her stomach, as her heart skipped a beat. The stammering, chattering, terror that plagued her all her life began whispering in her ear.

_No!_

She tried to hold it back. She tried to find that place beyond fear, where she always went to when there was no other choice. Where she could show no fear, simply because it wasn't possible for her to be any more terrified.

"Mugi," she whispered.

"I … I'm sorry, Mio," Mugi replied. "I was just lost in thought."

There was a flash of anger. The kind that only Ritsu could normally produce.

"Mugi!" Mio said, just catching herself. "I'm sorry. I'm just worried about Ritsu."

"I know," Mugi replied. "I … I just don't know what's wrong with Ritsu."

"Do you think," Mio forced out after a few moments, "that s-she could be … infected?"

Mugi violently shook her head.

"No!" She replied. Her knuckles whitened as she gripped her shotgun even tighter. Her blue eyes glittered, and she blinked rapidly, taking a breath. "I don't think she's infected … but she's been hurt a lot more than the rest of us." She looked away from Mio, down at the ground. "It's got to be adding up," she finally said.

Mio's stomach churned as Mugi's words sunk in. Her own body still ached, after she'd taken that beating from the charger in the warehouse. That was on top of the fatigue that greeted her every morning. Too little food, too little rest, and too much running.

She glanced over at Mugi's face, and her nausea worsened as the stark lighting highlighted Mugi's cheekbones.

"I know," she replied. "B-but if there's anyone that can hold on, it's Ritsu," she added, trying to project a confidence that she didn't feel. "She has to," she said, more to herself.

"She has to," she repeated. There was another feeling that plagued Mio from the moment Ritsu blacked out that morning. One that made her question whether it'd be worth carrying on if Ritsu _didn't_ make it.

Loneliness.

* * *

><p>"Ritsu, Ritsu, Ritsu!" Mio said, grabbing Ritsu's hands, jumping up and down.<p>

"W-whoa," Ritsu replied. "Making me dizzy ... what's the big occasion?"

"I'm just," Mio started to say, pausing. "I'm ... I ... I'm just glad we've made it through another day."

"Huh," Ritsu replied, looking at the tall girl. She smiled, squeezing Mio's hands. "Well, if you say so."

Mio dropped Ritsu's hands, taking a step back to look at her.

"A-and just what do you mean by that?"

Ritsu spread her hands wide, shaking her head.

"Nothing at all," she replied. She then cast a glance off to the side, just in time to see Tomohiro shoot her a look, disappearing behind the wall. "It's just that we're not out of this yet."

She looked around the room and, for the moment, it was just her and Mio. Still, she rose to her tip-toes to whisper in Mio's ear.

"We've gotta talk later," she said. "Let Mugi know and ... make it clear that she's not to tell Yui."

"Ritsu," Mio said, looking at Ritsu. "What's going on? And why can't we tell Yui?"

"Well," Ritsu replied. "I heard something about our new friends. I ... wasn't really supposed to share it, so you can kinda guess why I don't wanna share it with Yui."

Mio frowned, and then nodded slowly.

"O-okay," she said.

* * *

><p>"Will you get away from me?" Tomohiro growled.<p>

"Aww, but you remind me of Azu-nyan," Yui replied, sitting down next to him. Ritsu leaned back, smiling faintly. They were all gathered around a table, their faces lit by flickering candlelight.

She wasn't surprised, really, she thought, as she nibbled at the "energy" bar in her hand. Yui always had a habit of gravitating toward the most frightening, or obstinate, people. Like those girls at the Live House; or even Azusa in the beginning.

_You're playing with fire, Yui-san. That's a _guy_ you're pestering … not like Azusa._

"When we find your 'Azu-nyan,' I'm going to be very glad to be rid of you," Tomohiro growled.

"Now, now, Tom-chan," Norimi said. "You have to admit that the girls have been really helpful since they joined us."

"See," Yui said. "Nori-chan says it's okay."

Ritsu looked over to Mio, who looked a little paler than usual, with her lips forming a shocked little 'o'. She smiled a little wider, turning to face the others.

"Quite a bus you guys have going," she said.

"Yeah," Daisuke said, sitting up. "Now that I can spend all my time working on it, I think I'll have it done real soon."

"That's good news," Tomohiro replied. "I don't exactly feel safe staying here much longer. With all these non-zombies here," his eyes darted pointedly around the room, "we're going to attract enough attention that we _can't_ fight our way out of it."

"That wasn't very nice, Tomo-chan," Yui said.

"I … who said you could call me that?" Tomohiro looked very uncomfortable, and Ritsu couldn't help the smirk that curled her lips upward.

* * *

><p>"You're not kidding," Mio said, staring at Ritsu.<p>

"I swear, it's the truth," Ritsu replied, nodding slowly. She'd just told Mio and Mugi what Daisuke told her that morning.

"A tale of star-crossed lovers," Mugi said, a bit of color coming to her cheeks. "Two lovers, struggling against adversity. The disapproving father figure. The tragic ending."

"Mugi," Ritsu said, her tone sharp. Mugi shook her head and smiled.

"I'm sorry, Ricchan," she replied. "It … it's just a touching story a-and I didn't think it was possible to find them anymore … Not with things being the way they are."

Ritsu closed her eyes and nodded. Suddenly, Romeo and Juliet didn't seem so bad. Her mind wandered in those moments … to what might've happened to them, had the zombie apocalypse not overtaken them all.

Her eyes snapped open and she looked at her friends.

"Wh-what's more important is what are we gonna do about it?"

"Ritsu? What do you mean?"

"There's always been something about these people … even Nori-chan … that I just can't put my finger on," Ritsu replied.

"But Ricchan, maybe you're letting your first bad impression of Toyosaki-san color what you're thinking of the rest."

Ritsu shrugged, throwing her hands up.

"Maybe," she replied, chewing on the word. "Again … eh … I dunno. I'm not sure any of 'em are really comfortable with us around. Except, maybe, Nori-chan."

The girls stared silently at the single candle between them.

"Wh-what I want to know is, what do you think's going on with Yui?" Mio said, breaking the silence.

"What? With her and Toyosaki-san?"

Mio bit her lip and nodded mutely. Ritsu nodded slowly with her.

"Yeah," she said, after some time. "It just seems like a Yui thing to do."

"B-but it's … it's ... it's a g-guy," Mio replied, clamping her hands over her mouth the moment the words were spoken. They were loud enough to echo.

Ritsu closed her eyes, leaning back. She could feel a dull ache starting to gnaw at her temples, and she reached up to rub them.

"Well," she said. "Maybe … maybe it was gonna happen, sooner or later."

"What do you mean?" Mio said, the color draining from her face.

"Maybe our Yui-chan is growing up," Mugi replied, clasping her hands together. Ritsu glanced at her, and for the first time in a very long time, she saw the girl she'd known at Sakuragaoka. She, very much, wanted to smile; but the sudden upwelling of pain was too great.

"B-but what about Azusa!" Mio said. Ritsu's eyes snapped over, her ears catching the raw edge behind Mio's tone.

"You're right," Mugi replied. "Yui-chan, and Azusa-chan … they're like our couple."

"Guys," Ritsu said, holding up her hand. "Guys," she repeated, her headache getting steadily worse. "It's, you know, I'm sure it's really not _that_ bad."

"Ritsu," Mio said, her tone plaintive. "Men are animals!"

"He doesn't even like her," Ritsu replied. "A-and I'm sure Yui's not thinking the sort of thing _you_ seem to be."

"I," Mio replied, her mouth snapping shut. "I hope you're right!" She added, crossing her arms over her chest and looking away.

Ritsu spent several moments rubbing her temples.

"I," she said, her voice soft. "Look, let's just keep our eyes open, okay? And remember, none of this gets mentioned to Yui."

"A-and why not," Mio said, her eyes still not meeting Ritsu's.

Ritsu grimaced. "You … you said it yourself once. She knows more than she lets on. And you know how she gets once she gets focused, right?"

Mio nodded jerkily.

"She's handled this whole zombie thing pretty good," Ritsu said. "I think she can, maybe, handle some guy."

"And if she gets into trouble, we'll be there for her," Mugi added. Her lips ticked upward in a faint smile. "One of you will have to distract her with cake, a-and then I'll carry her out."

Ritsu chuckled softly.

"Y-yeah," she said. The visual tickled her and she laughed, except it came out in a series of half-moans. "Y'know … it really hurts to laugh."

"Ritsu," Mio said, suddenly looking up at Ritsu. Mugi, too, looked shocked.

"I-I'll be fine," Ritsu said, trying to wave them off. "I'll be fine, somehow."

_I hope_.

* * *

><p>It was a cold, hard, concrete floor that Ritsu was lying on; staring up at the distant ceiling, while listening to the falling rain. She rolled her head to one side, her eyes resting on a pair of bloodied corpses … dead zombies. Their fixed, sightless, eyes were still yellow, even in death.<p>

She groaned, pushing herself up into a sitting position. She checked the gun at her side, making sure she still had it. She let herself sigh with relief, when she felt the cold steel at her side.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it," she swore softly. She was going to _kill_ Tomohiro, assuming she could get back to the safehouse.

"I really screwed the pooch on that one, didn't I?"

The rainy sky had no answer.

… _Earlier …_

"You? You think you're ready to join the rest of on patrol today?" Tomohiro said, his brows arching as he looked Ritsu over.

"It's as good a time as any," Ritsu replied. "It'll take a lot more than some fainting to put _me_ out of a fight."

"Ritsu," Mio said, looking unhappy.

"If Ricchan says she can do something, then she can totally do it, Tomo-chan," Yui said. Ritsu shot her a sharp look, but at the same time she was grateful for Yui's vote of confidence.

"Don't call me that," Tomohiro replied, scowling.

"Will you be okay on your own, Dai-chan," Norimi said, looking at the dark-skinned man.

"Well," Daisuke started to reply, "it'd be great if Kenichi could join me today … we could get a lot done!"

Ritsu watched Norimi and Tomohiro quickly huddle. He didn't look any happier, but he was nodding.

"Fine," Tomohiro said, turning away from Norimi to look Ritsu in the eye. "I suppose I'll babysit you today."

Ritsu clenched her jaw.

"I _don't _need babysitting," she said, but Tomohiro had already turned away.

"We'll see," he replied, stalking off.

* * *

><p>It was raining, again, as Ritsu and Tomohiro worked their way down the side of a street. Ritsu kept a tight hold on her pistol, trying not to frown at its weight. Tomohiro insisted that she carry the semi-automatic, in lieu of her usual revolvers.<p>

He'd also insisted that they go out alone, telling the others that they were going to scout out where the zombies were. Ritsu wasn't sure she liked that, at all, and Mio looked like she was near apoplexy when she heard his suggestion; but there was supposedly a house full of usable supplies, and it'd take everyone else just to gather them up.

"Ruugh," something burbled from across the street. Ritsu found herself spinning to face the sound, dropping to one knee.

_I've still got it,_ she thought, drawing her pistol. What she saw was a grossly bloated zombie, covered in boils and pustules. A brief pang of pain went through her, as she momentarily recalled Azusa's friend.

"What are you doing," Tomohiro hissed.

"What do you think," Ritsu replied. "It's one of those exploding zombies."

"I know that," Tomohiro said. "That kind's the only slow kind of zombie there is. It won't get us, if we keep moving."

Ritsu looked up at Tomohiro, and then back at the corpulent zombie. It was starting to stumble across the road toward them.

"Let's go … now," she heard Tomohiro say. She looked up, just in time to see him hurrying down the street.

"Damn it," she said through clenched teeth, as she scrambled to her feet. As she ran after Tomohiro, she could hear the zombie gurgling somewhere behind her.

"Shit!" Ritsu heard Tomohiro say. She skidded to a stop; just in time see several zombies lunging toward him. There was metallic hiss, as his sword sprung from its scabbard. She turned away, remembering the zombie behind them.

_BAM! BAM! BAM!_

The zombie vanished in a massive spray of blood, chunks of flesh, and bits of bone. Its legs flopped to the pavement.

"I had this under control!" Tomohiro said, waving his bloody sword. He was surrounded by dead zombies. "Now we're gonna get mobbed!"

"How was I to know," Ritsu said, her eyes darting back and forth.

"Whatever," Tomohiro replied. "We'll run for those big buildings over there," he added, taking off down the road. Ritsu bit back a sharp response, sprinting to catch up.

She heard screaming, other zombies, from somewhere off to the side, and she pushed herself harder, stumbling on the rain-slick pavement.

"Hurry up!" Tomohiro said, somewhere ahead of her.

"Going as fast as I can," Ritsu muttered under her breath. She looked up, seeing Tomohiro standing in front of broad, beige, building; gesturing wildly at an open door.

"They're right behind you," he said, waving his sword.

Ritsu grunted, pushing harder. As she reached the doorway, she stumbled, falling inside. Behind her, she could hear Tomohiro pulling the door shut. In front of her, she heard screaming. She looked up, just in time to see a pair of zombies scrambling toward her.

She frantically felt for her gun, giving a wordless shout when she pulled it free.

_BAM! BAM! BAM-BAM-BAM!_

The zombies tumbled, blood oozing from their chests. As Ritsu tried to roll to a sitting position, the whole world lurched around her, throwing her to the floor.

_Nononono! Not now!_ She thought, desperately, as waves of dizziness hammered her.

_Not here!_

_Nooooooo!_

* * *

><p>Ritsu's eyes fluttered open, and the world slowly drifted into focus. The dizziness was gone, replaced by a dull, throbbing, headache that seemed to fill the entire space between her ears.<p>

"I have seriously felt better," she said, groaning. Only silence greeted her.

"T-toyosaki-san?"

No sneering face swept into her vision to greet her.

"C'mon, this isn't funny!"

The only sound she heard was falling rain hitting the distant roof. She rolled her head to one side, her eyes resting on a pair of bloodied corpses … dead zombies. Their fixed, sightless, eyes were still yellow, even in death.

She groaned, pushing herself up into a sitting position. She checked the gun at her side, making sure she still had it. She let herself sigh with relief, when she felt the cold steel at her side.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it," she swore softly. She was going to _kill_ Tomohiro, assuming she could get back to the safehouse.

"I really screwed the pooch on that one, didn't I?"

The rainy sky had no answer.

"God_damn_ you, Tomohiro Toyosaki," Ritsu said, struggling to stand up. She took another, long, look around. "Seriously … leaving me here like this? Not … cool." she added.

She stumbled toward the door, listening to her own breathing, and the patter of rain on the roof. At least it didn't sound like there were zombies waiting for her, and she sighed softly.

"Well, guess I'd better get out of here."

* * *

><p>"Hello! Is anyone going to let me in?" Ritsu said, hammering at the door to the safehouse. The rain had stopped, but the slate-gray skies were growing darker by the minute, and Ritsu didn't even want to think about what she was smelling.<p>

_Wham! Wham! Wham!_

"C'mon, guys! I know someone has to be in there!"

She took a deep breath, feeling her side burn. The bleeding had stopped, at least, though she'd never wear that particular shirt again … not after a zombie had ripped it open with its claws.

She turned around, and could see movement in the deepening shadows. She drew her pistol and dropped the magazine … not good, only five bullets left.

_Wham! Wham! Wham!_

"Guys, open up! It's crawling with zombies out here!"

She waited, keeping a nervous eye on the trees.

"This just isn't my day, is it," she murmured, starting to feel her heart ache.

_Click!_

Just then, Ritsu heard the sounds of the deadbolts being retracted. As she turned around, she was engulfed in a crushing hug by Mio. Ritsu's first words died unspoken, as she felt wetness on Mio's cheeks.

"I-its you! R-ritsu! You're … you're alive!"

"Can't … breathe," Ritsu tried to say.

"He … he told us you were d-dead," Mio murmured. "T-that they'd gotten you."

_He did, did he?_

"W-what happened? How … did you … ?"

"Later," Ritsu replied, whispering into Mio's ear. "I'll," she started to say, as she saw Tomohiro out of the corner of her eye.

"I'm here, no thanks to you," she said, ducking under Mio. "You left me to die!"

"I'm," Tomohiro started to say, as Ritsu pushed her way up to him. She could see the others out of the corner of her eye, but she ignored them.

"You what? You're surprised to see me? Well, guess what? You ain't getting rid of me that easily!"

"Who said I'm trying to get rid of you," Tomohiro replied, narrowing his eyes.

"Hey, you abandoned me back there … left me to die!"

"Look, little girl," Tomohiro said, shoving a fingertip into Ritsu's chest. "I saw them attack you, you went down, and you didn't get back up."

"I blacked out," Ritsu slapped the hand away. "But not before shooting them both. They never got to me!"

Tomohiro laughed. It was an unpleasant sound. "You? Shot them? I killed them with my sword … _after_ you went down."

"Well that ain't how I remembered it!"

"I don't care how you remembered it," Tomohiro replied. "All those blackouts … your brains must be scrambled. I know what I did, and what you didn't."

"And you're a liar," Ritsu said, even as she heard the first whisper of doubt. Did things really go down as she remembered?

"Whatever," Tomohiro replied. "You should be thanking me … if I hadn't cleared the way; you wouldn't have had such an easy time getting home."

"You call this easy," Ritsu said, her voice shrill, as she tugged at her ripped and bloodied shirt. "Look at me! You didn't do me any favors!"

"Ricchan!"

Suddenly, Ritsu felt herself wrapped in strong arms.

"When Tomo-chan told me that you'd … you'd … I didn't know what to do," Yui said. "I mean … Nodoka-chan, Azu-nyan, Ui, and then you," Yui said, her body trembling as she squeezed Ritsu.

"I … guess I ain't ready to lay down yet," Ritsu replied gamely.

"Ricchan, you had us all so very worried." That was Mugi speaking, Ritsu felt Mugi's firm touch, guiding her and Yui away from the open door.

"Ricchan … Ricchan," Yui managed, wiping her nose on Ritsu's shoulder. "Don't you leave us again!"

Ritsu managed to get a quick look around. Somehow, Tomohiro had already disappeared, but she didn't have any more time to think about it; not with all of Houkago Tea Time smothering her in a group-hug.

* * *

><p>"So you're saying that's how it went down," Norimi said, gazing into Ritsu's eyes.<p>

"That's totally how it went down," Ritsu replied. "Toyosaki-san is lying." Norimi had asked to speak to her, alone. It was something that _still_ gave Ritsu butterflies.

Norimi crossed her arms over her chest, pursing her lips.

"And you're sure about this?"

"Yes, yes, _yes_, I'm positive!" Ritsu replied, feeling frustration welling up inside.

"Hey," Norimi said, reaching out to touch Ritsu's shoulder. "I'm on your side, okay?"

"R-really?" Ritsu said, after forcing herself to take a deep breath.

"Absolutely," Norimi replied with a smile. "Just, try to understand … Tom-chan's been with us since the beginning. When you're telling me things like you just told me; it'd be like me coming to you, and saying the same things about, say, Yui-chan."

Ritsu bit her lip hard enough to taste blood.

"Y-yeah, I guess I see your point," she said.

Norimi's smile remained on her face. If she caught Ritsu's tone, she wasn't showing it.

"Thanks for sharing your side of the story, Ricchan," she said. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't make a big deal of it to your friends. **I** will take care of Tom-chan."

Ritsu blinked several times, staring at Norimi.

"Do you understand me?" Norimi asked, putting her hands on her hips, while leaning forward. The smile was still there, but there was that no-nonsense look in her eyes that Ritsu last saw when Norimi threatened them with "special training" so long ago.

"I-I do," Ritsu squeaked.

Norimi smiled again, her expression bright and friendly. "Good. I'm glad we had this talk, Ricchan. Remember: I will handle Tom-chan."

As Norimi left the room, Ritsu leaned up against the wall, letting herself slide to the floor.

"What have I gotten us into," she murmured. As she closed her eyes, she felt the world starting to spin. She clenched her hands into fists, breathing deeply.

"I can do this … I can do this," she said. "I can get us out of this."

* * *

><p>The wind wailed mournfully outside the windows, as Ritsu crawled out of her sleeping bag. As she rubbed her eyes, she did a quick head-count. Mio? Check. Mugi? Check. Yui?<p>

"Yui," Ritsu murmured, looking at a rumpled, empty, sleeping bag.

"Huh," she said. The last couple days were, surprisingly, quiet. The worst she'd seen from Tomohiro were some dirty looks … but the man went out of his way _not_ to talk to her. He also stopped protesting when Yui pestered him … and now Ritsu wondered at the significance of _that._

Just then, the room lit up like someone had just fired off a flash. The accompanying thunder-crack caused Ritsu to cry out in shock.

"Well that _can't _be good," she said, feeling her heart race.

* * *

><p>"Yeah, it's been raining since last night," Daisuke said. "Wind's only really picked up this morning, though."<p>

"Huh," Tomohiro replied. Ritsu glanced at him, but he didn't look back at her.

"What direction would you say the wind was coming from?" Kenichi said, frowning.

"I'd guess the northeast," Daisuke replied.

"You're sure about that?"

"Yeah, pretty sure."

"What are you getting at, Kenichi?" Tomohiro said, looking up.

"Well, boss, if I didn't know any better; I'd say there was a big storm blowing in … maybe even a typhoon."

"Shit," Tomohiro replied, jumping to his feet. "Daisuke? You got that bus ready to roll yet?"

Daisuke frowned thoughtfully. "I guess. I mean, I'd like to do a little more work on it, but if we gotta drive it … it'll drive. You worried about the storm?"

"Absolutely," Tomohiro replied. "I don't know about you, but I _don't_ want to be trapped here if it starts flooding! What do you think, Norimi?"

It was Norimi's turn to look thoughtful, but only for a moment.

"Yeah, I agree. As far as I know, zombies can't swim, but if we're trapped here and we can't look for supplies," she said, trailing off.

"Looks like we're all in agreement, then," Tomohiro replied. Suddenly, Ritsu found his eyes on her.

"It's time for you kids to finally pull your weight around here," he said. "Everything in this house we've collected is gonna get packed up and taken with us." He looked past Ritsu for a moment. "I think Tsumugi-san and Akiyama-san should help Kenichi … "

"Wait a minute!" Ritsu said, holding up her hand.

"Shut it," Tomohiro replied. "You're going to get it easy … "

Ritsu shook her head, if she didn't speak up now … there might not be a later.

"I don't care about that," she replied. "Mio, Mugi, and Yui have to stay with me. So give us something we can do _together_."

The man with the dyed hair narrowed his eyes as he stared at Ritsu.

_I'm not gonna let you try to get me killed again,_ she thought.

"Hmph," Mio grunted, taking Ritsu's elbow, as she pressed up against her.

"Tom-chan," Norimi said, putting herself in front of Tomohiro. "We've got some fuel for the bus hidden in the house, right? I'm sure the girls would be willing to carry that."

"Yes," Ritsu quickly said. "Yes we would."

"Fine, okay … whatever," Tomohiro finally replied, throwing up his hands. "Show them where the gas cans are," he said, throwing Ritsu a cold look. Briefly, he and Norimi made eye contact, and Norimi nodded.

* * *

><p>"I dunno what's so bad about Tomo-chan," Yui said, as they struggled to shoulder the unwieldy cans of gas."<p>

"You don't know what's so bad about him," Ritsu echoed. "I'm sorry, but I just don't see what's so good about him."

"Well, he reminds me of Azu-nyan," Yui replied. "Well, not _totally_ like Azu-nyan, because only Azu-nyan could ever be Azu-nyan."

"Ugh, forget it," Ritsu said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "That reminds me … where were you this morning? You weren't there when I woke up?"

Yui looked away, her cheeks coloring.

"I was doing stuff," she replied.

"Oh-ho-ho," Ritsu said. "What sort of … stuff … were you doing?"

"Ritsu," Mio said. "Is now the best time?"

"It's _always_ the best time," Ritsu replied, feeling suddenly lightheaded. "So c'mon, missy, lay down the juicy details."

Yui crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Squad-member Ricchan … I must refuse!"

"Ooh, so it's even _worse_ than I imagined," Ritsu said. "A-and you know me … I can imagine some pretty … bad … stuff!"

"Ritsu!" Mio said, grabbing her wrist, spinning her. "Get a grip," she said, gray eyes locked on Ritsu's. "Please?"

"I," Ritsu said. The lightheaded feeling evaporated, leaving dull, throbbing pain in its place. "I-I don't know what came over me. It's just that …" she added, looking past Mio, looking at Yui.

"Aw geez, I'm sorry Yui," Ritsu said. "If … you don't wanna talk about it, you don't have to."

Yui tilted her head to one side, and then quickly flashed a "peace" sign at Ritsu.

"Later, Ricchan, later," she replied.

"What's taking you kids so long," Tomohiro said from another room. "Did you get lost?"

Ritsu clenched her jaw and shook her head. It didn't help with the pain, but it did clear her head. She fluttered her eyelashes and cleared her throat.

"We're coming," she replied, her voice lilting and girly. She briefly smirked, then turned back to the others, her expression becoming serious.

"Let's go," she said. "Whatever we do … let's not get separated. I _really_ don't have a good feeling about this."

* * *

><p>The skies were nearly black with heavy, pregnant, clouds. A cold, damp, breeze buffeted them as they made their way down the road. Ritsu looked up at the sky, taking a moment to adjust the can strapped to her back.<p>

"Man, I wish I knew where my guns were," she murmured, looking down at the 9mm pistol in her free hand. None of them, save Mugi, had any of the guns they'd come to the house with.

"I-I just wonder what else we've had to leave behind," Mugi replied. It'd been a quick evacuation.

"Hey, cut the chit-chat," Tomohiro growled from up ahead. "You want to attract attention?"

"Right, right," Ritsu replied, shrugging. She clenched her pistol tighter, her eyes darting from shadow to shadow.

_Pitter-patter._

It was starting to rain again. Puddles rippled with impacting raindrops as far as Ritsu could see, and a gray wall started to close in on them from all sides.

_Crash!_

That gray wall was illuminated in blinding white, as thunder crackled over them. Mio screamed, and a wall of rain-soaked air slammed into them. All around them, the wind screeched, and Ritsu felt like she was being sandblasted by the horizontal rain.

"Everyone stick together!" Norimi shouted.

"Stay close, stay close!" Ritsu echoed, leaning into the wind. Lightning flashed all around them, and the world closed in tightly on her and her friends.

"This ... this is awful," she gasped, reaching out blindly. Someone grabbed her hand, holding it tightly. She opened her eyes just long enough to glimpse a Mio-shaped shadow in the torrential downpour.

She felt like the storm was trying to rip the clothes from her body, and she stumbled, trying to resist. Even as she was, she felt the wind slacken, and the world around her brighten.

"I-I think we're ... we're through it," Mugi said, somewhere nearby.

"Yeah, this is definitely a typhoon ... we'd better keep moving," Kenichi said.

"We'll have to double-time it," Tomohiro replied.

"Shit! Watch out!" Daisuke yelled.

"What ... oh, damn it!" Ritsu found herself dropping to one knee, as stumbling, shambling, and lurching shapes appeared from the gloom, howling and screaming as they descended upon them.

_Bam! Bam! Bam!_

Zombies stumbled and fell as Ritsu took aim and fired. Somewhere to her side, she saw the flash of Mugi's shotgun discharging.

"Charger!" Kenichi yelled. There was a clatter of gunfire, and Ritsu heard something heavy crash to the pavement.

Yui squealed, and Ritsu spun around in time to see her friend being knocked to the ground by one of the pouncing zombies. Before she could move, she saw a swift-moving figure, and a flash of slashing steel.

"C'mon, get moving," Tomohiro said, kicking the dying zombie off Yui.

"T-thanks, Tomo … Tomo-chan," Yui replied.

"I think that's the last of them," Norimi said, coming up behind Ritsu. "Is everyone all right?"

Everyone looked around, nodding quickly. Already, another wall of gray was fast-approaching them.

"We'd better keep moving," Daisuke said. "It's only gonna get worse."

* * *

><p>"Keep running! Keep running!"<p>

_Bam! Bam! Bam!_

Zombies flopped and thrashed, dying in the rain.

_No good! No good!_ Ritsu thought, firing blindly with one hand, while clenching a fistful of fabric with her other. Mio fired in the same direction Ritsu did.

The report of Mio's rifle set Ritsu's ears to ringing, and the ringing quickly set her head to throbbing. She felt a tug as Mio started to run again, and she stumbled as she tried to keep up.

"I've got you, Ricchan," Mugi said, snagging Ritsu, just as she was about to fall.

"Thanks," Ritsu managed, just as she saw shapes emerging from the shadows.

"Mugi! Watch out!"

Mugi shoved the zombies back with her shotgun. There was a crack of thunder, and one of them found its face turned into a bloody ruin.

"Girls! Move!" Norimi yelled.

"Don't need to tell me twice," Ritsu murmured as she ran alongside Mio. The air was cold, and each breath made her chest ache. There was the crackle of rifle fire somewhere behind her, and the hammering of incessant rainfall all around her.

"We're here!"

Ritsu looked up, seeing the looming shape of the warehouse emerging from the gray.

"Get that fucking door open," Tomohiro said to Kenichi. "Hurry!"

The other man fumbled with his keys, finally finding the right one to open the lock. Mugi's shotgun thundered several times, as she fired into a group of zombies charging toward them.

"It's open!"

"Everybody inside, _now!_" Tomohiro said, waving his sword.

They raced inside, slipping and stumbling on the concrete floor.

_Wham!_

That was Tomohiro pulling the door shut.

_WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!_

The zombies outside reached the door, hammering it with their fists, their feet, and their bodies. All around them, the walls seemed to bow and ripple as sudden wind gusts clawed at the building. Spots of dancing light … flashlights, came on.

"This way," Daisuke said. "The bus is over here!"

"You girls follow him and start filling her up," Tomohiro said. "The rest of us will keep the zombies out."

Ritsu looked past Daisuke, and felt her jaw drop a little. She'd been there for some of the bus's construction, but this was the first time that she'd seen the finished product. Most of the windows had steel diamond plate welded over them. Those that didn't had cages of rebar and angle-iron. There was even more steel on the front bumper.

"That's … terrifying," she said. She then flashed a quick grin. "I like it."

"W-well, I don't," Mio replied.

"It's gonna be … our ticket out of here, so you'd better get used to it," Ritsu said, gingerly slipping the heavy gas can off her back.

"I got her opened up," Daisuke said. "So it'd be great if you all could start filling her up. The rest of the cans are over there." He turned to look at Yui.

"Say, uh, Hirasawa-san … if you'd like, I can put your guitar bag away for you?"

Ritsu glanced at Yui, biting her lip. She wasn't sure just how Yui had managed to carry both her guitar case, and the can of gasoline. Subconsciously, she reached up to rub her shoulder.

"Nuh-uh," Yui replied. "Gitah stays with me!"

Daisuke looked at her again, and then he shrugged. "Heh, well, alright. I'll be inside hooking everything up."

"Let's get this thing filled up," Ritsu said. Just then, there was a thunderous roar, as wind and rain lashed the warehouse. Lightning flashed outside the windows, and thunder rumbled all around.

"Q-quickly," she squeaked. "Let's do this … very quickly."

"Over here, Ricchan," Mugi said.

"Okay," Ritsu replied, stumbling over to Mugi. She tried to lift her can up to the filler neck on the bus, but felt sudden, stabbing, pain inside her temples.

"Ugh … a little help here?"

"Ritsu?"

"I'm … fine, Mio," Ritsu replied, as Mugi took her can from her. "Got an idea. Let's do a human chain."

Mio looked at her, and then at the pile of cans in the corner.

"Okay," she said.

"You know what to do, Yui-san?" Ritsu said, putting her hand on Yui's shoulder.

"Sure thing, Ricchan," Yui replied. "You can count on me!"

"Right," Ritsu said. "You go with Mio, then."

They worked as fast as they could, back and forth, passing the cans of fuel to each other. Ritsu tried not to think about the noises she was hearing, as the storm lashed their warehouse.

Daisuke stormed out of the bus, his face tightly contorted.

"Shit! Shit! _Shiiiiiit!_"

"What," Ritsu squeaked, but Daisuke ignored her, yanking his radio off his belt.

"Everybody get the _fuck_ over here right now! We've got a problem!"

There was a crackle from the radio.

"We're tied up, Dai," Norimi replied. "What's wrong?"

"I thought I disconnected all the batteries … but I guess I was wrong."

"Oh, that doesn't sound good," Ritsu said, tilting her head.

"The bus is dead guys," Daisuke continued. "I need you guys to start the generator to charge up the batteries."

Ritsu had a sudden flashback as she closed her eyes. Nodoka's face emerged from the darkness, surrounded by seething zombies. She opened her eyes, looking across the room to Mio, who was looking suddenly pale.

"On it," Norimi's voice replied. "We're gonna get a lot more company."

Daisuke nodded, putting his radio back on his belt. He looked at the girls, smiling grimly.

"You kids did good work," he said. "Better get ready for a fight, though."

"Hikasa-san," Mugi said. "How long do the batteries need to be charged for?"

"Long enough to attract attention," Daisuke replied.

"What else is new," Ritsu said as she reached for her pistol. "Places, everyone."

* * *

><p>Ritsu screamed, shooting repeatedly into the zombies trying to mob the bus. Wind howled through the wreckage of the roll-up door, pelting her and the others with cold rain.<p>

"Get back," Mugi shouted, discharging her shotgun into the face of one zombie, and then driving the muzzle of her gun into the gut of another.

"Damn it," Ritsu grit her teeth, firing at another zombie trying to swarm Mugi. She glanced off to the other side, seeing Mio firing from just inside the door. Above them, lights swayed and flickered … they'd come on when the generator started up.

She gasped, feeling a flailing fist connect. She swung blindly, feeling her hands connect with something slimy.

_Bam!_

Her pistol fired, seemingly on its own accord, and the zombie fell back. Outside, she could hear frantic gunfire from the others, but she couldn't let herself get distracted. She kicked out at another zombie, causing it to stumble back.

_Boom!_

Its face disintegrated, taking the full brunt of Mugi's shotgun, but Ritsu was already shooting at something else. All around them, dead zombies littered the concrete floor, and part of her wondered if it would ever end.

"_Roooooar!"_

"Oh no," she said, her eyes suddenly on the darkness outside. "How much longer," she said, yelling as loud as she could. Daisuke and Yui were on the other side of the bus, protecting the cord connected to the battery charger.

"_Raaaaargh!"_

Something crashed into the wall, and Ritsu briefly wondered if Norimi and her friends were going to make it.

"It's gonna have to be enough," Daisuke yelled from the other side. "Everybody get in the bus!"

"Don't have to tell me twice," Ritsu said, turning to grab Mugi's arm. "Mugi, let's go!"

Mugi nodded quickly, and the two girls dashed for the door, stumbling up the steps. A few moments later came Yui, with Daisuke hot on her heels.

"You all'd better hang on to something," he said, dropping into the driver's seat. "This is gonna get rough."

_Uwuhh… Uwuhh… Uwuhh…_

Nothing. The engine didn't start.

"C'mon baby," Daisuke said, twisting the key again.

_Uwuhh… Uwuhh… Uwuhh…_

Mio shrieked as fists started to pound on the side of the bus.

"_Hraaargh!"_

"Where the fuck are you, Daisuke," Tomohiro yelled over the radio. "Can't hold this tank off forever!"

_Uwuhh… Uwuhh… Uwuhh…_

"There are portholes in the back," Daisuke said, not looking up. "You girls try to get some of those zombies away from the bus.

"R-right," Ritsu replied, scrambling back. She could see where the hatches were. Tentatively, she pushed one open and screamed as fingers suddenly appeared at the edges. A snarling, bloodied gray face with blackened teeth and yellow eyes pulled up.

_BOOM!_

The report of Mugi's shotgun set Ritsu's ears ringing, but the zombie fell away. That gave her just enough of an opening to stick her own pistol out, firing wildly. Out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed Yui trying to do the same thing.

There was a sudden roar … a sudden, _mechanical_, roar as the bus's engine fired to life.

"Hang on! I'm coming for you guys," Daisuke yelled into the radio. Ritsu tumbled to the floor as the bus lurched into motion, shaking violently as it ran into, and over, the mobbing zombies. Everything lurched hard as the bus turned, and then lurched again as the bus came to a stop.

"Get in, get in, _get in!"_ Daisuke screamed, opening the door. Norimi stumbled aboard, with Kenichi's arms wrapped around her shoulders. Outside, Ritsu heard screaming.

_WHAM!_

The entire bus rocked as something slammed into the side. Tomohiro jumped aboard, turning to empty his rifle out the door, filling the narrow space with a thunderous cacophony of gunfire.

"Go! Go! Go! Floor it!"

Just as Ritsu managed to find her feet, the engine roared, the bus lurched and she felt herself tumbling forward. It was warm where she landed … warm and soft.

"Hey," Mio said, her voice a breathless squeak. "I've got you, Ritsu."

Ritsu looked up, her eyes looking into Mio's. She relaxed, letting her cheek rest on Mio's thigh. The bus shuddered and lurched, but none of that mattered at that moment.

"You do," she replied. "You sure do."

* * *

><p>Ritsu slowly drifted up from sleep, and for the first time in a while, she felt <em>warm<em>. There barely any room inside that bus, so she and Mio practically slept in each other's arms. Somehow, she didn't mind in the slightest.

"Mio-chan," she murmured.

"Get up," a voice replied.

"Five more minutes," Ritsu muttered, not yet fully awake. This was a not a moment that she wanted to end.

Sudden, sharp, pain jolted her to full awareness.

"I said, get the _fuck_ up, little girl."

Ritsu's eyes snapped open, and she found herself looking into the barrel of a gun.

"Wha … " she started to say, looking past the gun, into Tomohiro's eyes.

"Now," Tomohiro said, jerking the muzzle of his pistol upward. "Get up." He kicked Mio's shin, and the other girl sat up with a start. It was all Ritsu could do to stop her screaming.

"We're up," Ritsu said, glaring at Tomohiro. "What's the meaning of this?"

"This is where you get off," Tomohiro replied. His gun did not waver.

"You didn't have to," Ritsu started to say, before being silenced by the muzzle of Tomohiro's gun being shoved in her face.

"Shut up," he said, his lips drawn back in a sneer. Ritsu looked past him, seeing Daisuke behind him. The other man's face was a mask, devoid of emotion.

"Okay … okay," Ritsu said. "We're getting up. I-if you want us gone, we'll j-just take our things and go."

"Your things," Tomohiro echoed. "Funny, I don't recall you having anything when you broke into our house."

"That's enough, Tom," that was Norimi. Ritsu turned her head. Yui and Mugi were already standing off to the side, with Yui clutching her guitar case. Kenichi had a gun pointed at them, and Norimi stood with him.

"Nori … chan?"

"Ritsu … don't make this harder than it has to be," Norimi replied, her eyes not meeting Ritsu's.

"I … see," Ritsu replied, feeling her eyes starting to burn. She slowly, carefully, got to her feet. Mio followed suit, grabbing Ritsu's hand, her grip painfully tight.

"Move," Tomohiro said. Ritsu's legs moved on their own accord. As she and Mio shuffled past Norimi, the older woman refused to meet Ritsu's glare. They all stepped off the bus. It was morning, bright sunlight filtered through hazy clouds, and Ritsu realized that she had no idea where they were.

Tomohiro stepped up to Yui.

"You'll be leaving that behind too," he said, gesturing at her guitar case.

"Nuh-uh," Yui replied. "I'm sorry, Tomo-chan, but I must refuse! Gitah comes with me!"

_Crack!_

"Never call me that again," Tomohiro snapped as Yui blinked rapidly, her mouth an 'o' of shock. She dropped to her knees.

"Yui!" Ritsu screamed, lunging toward her. She dropped by Yui's side, her eyes snapping up to Tomohiro's. The man unconsciously shook his hand, the back of it reddening with the force of the blow.

"We're not kidding around," he said. "Guitar case. _Now._"

"Let 'em have it," Daisuke said, grabbing Tomohiro's shoulder.

"I agree Tom," Norimi said. "There's nothing we can do with it anyway."

Ritsu's eyes darted to Norimi. Her tone struck Ritsu just as hard as a backhand. She started to sag back, but felt strong hands on her shoulders.

"Fine … Right," Tomohiro replied. "Let's go … I don't feel comfortable sitting here."

"S-so this is what we get?" Ritsu said, her voice barely under control. Daisuke and Kenichi ignored her, walking stiffly toward the bus. Tomohiro backed toward the bus, his gun on them the whole time.

"W-we helped you guys out," Ritsu said, turning her attention to Norimi. "What … what gives!"

"We agreed," Norimi replied. "After Wiriamu didn't come back. Sorry, Ritsu."

_So am I,_ Ritsu thought, glaring at Norimi and Tomohiro, as they boarded the bus. The engine roared to life, and the bus pulled back onto the road. The girls watched it go, in absolute silence.

"I," Ritsu started to say, before she slumped forward, burying her face in her hands. _I should've seen this coming_, she thought, her body shaking.

"That was my last link to Sumire, to my family," Mugi mumbled, dropping to her knees.

"I knew it," Mio said, leaning against Ritsu's shoulders. "I knew it … I knew it … I knew it …"

"What do we do now," Ritsu whispered, her hands soaked with tears, her mind numb with shock, even as another headache began to gnaw at the inside of her skull. She barely heard the crash of a body falling backward onto the gravel.

"It's okay, I think," Yui said, staring up into the sky.

"H-how can you even say that," Mio said. There was no shocked snap to her voice. Only bitter despair.

"We got tricked," Ritsu groaned. "We've got nothing, Yui-san," she said. What would they do now, with no weapons and no supplies? She flopped to the gravel, next to Yui. She was tired of thinking.

"It really is okay," Yui replied. There was a livid mark on her cheek, which was already starting to swell, yet she looked like she didn't notice. "I mean … _we're_ here … the four of us!"

"With _nothing_," Ritsu said.

"I'm sure we'll find more stuff," Yui replied, sitting up. "But I'm not worried … as long as you guys are here with me!"

"Where do you get that confidence, girl," Ritsu sat up.

"From you guys," Yui replied. "I … I remember what it was like, joining the Light Music Club … but you guys gave me the confidence to learn the guitar."

"We're not _all_ here," Mio said, softly. "I-I don't think we'll ever find Azusa … or Ui."

"Azu-nyan and Ui are smart," Yui replied. "We'll find them, I'm sure of it," she added. Ritsu tilted her head at Yui's tone. Her response had been a little _too_ fast.

"Y'know," she said, "Yui-san has a point. It's … it's pretty funny how it's been the four of us who've made it this far."

"The four of us," Mio echoed.

"The four of us," Mugi added, a moment later.

"Yeah," Ritsu replied. "Houkago Tea Time … we kill zombies."

"Ritsu!" Mio said. A moment later, Ritsu felt Mio's knuckles brush through her hair.

"See," Yui said. "As long as you guys are here … we'll be fine!"

"She's right," Mugi said. "You know," she added, blinking rapidly, "I … I've always thought of you all … as family. A-and it's kept me going … through all this."

"And it'll take us all the way to Tokyo," Yui replied.

"Yui," Ritsu said.

"To Tokyo, Ricchan, Tokyo."

"Okay," Ritsu said, wiping her nose and struggling to her feet. "Okay … Tokyo it is, then," she said, draping one arm around Mio, and then the other around Mugi. "But … does anybody have any idea … where the hell we are?"

"W-we should find out," Mio replied, her eyes darting back and forth.

"We should find shelter," Mugi added.

"Yeah," Ritsu replied. Her mind still recoiled from the enormity of what they were facing, but in some small way, the warmth of her friends helped with that.

"Ricchan," Yui said. "Would you … hold Gitah while I get up?"

"Okay," Ritsu replied. "That was … pretty brave of you to hold onto him like that. Y-you could've gotten killed y'know," she said, taking the case. What immediately struck her was how _heavy_ it was.

"Ugh," the grunt emerged unbidden. "Yui, this is really heavy."

"Well," Yui said, biting her knuckle. "Maybe … you should open it."

"I … well … "

"I insist, Ricchan!"

"Okay, okay," Ritsu replied, as she carefully set the guitar bag down. "I don't know what you're getting at but … oh my god … are those what I think they are?"

She unzipped the bag the rest of the way, not believing what her eyes were telling her. Wrapped in socks and packed tightly around Yui's Les Paul were the unmistakable silhouettes of .38 Special snub-nosed police revolvers.

"You … when did you?" Ritsu's jaw dropped. "Is this what you were up to the other day?"

"Uh huh," Yui replied, her cheeks flushed.

"I … "

"Ritsu," Mio said.

Ritsu laughed softly. "I … uh … I'm sorry I doubted you, Yui."

"How did you know," Mugi said.

"I … kinda overheard Nori-chan and Tomo-chan talking about it," Yui replied. "And I totally didn't want them to get suspicious."

"And you didn't think to tell _us_ about it?" Ritsu fixed Yui in her best glare.

"If we ran … they might've caught us anyway," Mio said, wrapping her arms around herself.

"I … can't disagree with that," Ritsu replied, blinking. "In that case … you did good, Yui. You did real good."

"Praise me more," Yui said, shuffling her feet.

"Don't push your luck," Ritsu replied, just before she smiled. She counted the guns, and then reached in and grabbed two. "Everybody, grab a weapon!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes<strong>**:**  
>- So ends this arc of <em>Left 4 Moe<em>. I'm sorry that it took so bloody long to get around to finishing this chapter.  
>- And that it's so long, for that matter … but it was one that I didn't really want to break up.<br>- What happens to the girls here is the same thing that happens to the original _Left 4 Dead_ survivors after they were rescued at the end of the _Death Toll _campaign (i.e., they were robbed by their rescuers and left to die, as was noted in the comics.)  
>- The name of the chapter was probably a dead giveaway.<br>- The next arc will be the last arc of the story. _Dun-dun-DUUUUN!_  
>- No, seriously. This story is <em>already<em> longer than some novels. Fortunately, the last arc was plotted very early on, so I should write it on a much faster schedule than I've managed as of late.  
>- I've said that before, haven't I? Thank you very much for reading this far. See you next chapter!<p> 


	20. Chapter 19

**Dead Show:**  
><em>Where a bad review costs you your life.<em>

Ritsu Tainaka was dying.

This she was sure of. It was all finally catching up with her. The whole goddamned zombie apocalypse. Every scratch, every bite, every punch, every kick, every blow to the head. She felt them all. Ritsu just _hurt_. And she hurt everywhere.

She took as deep a breath as she dared, and then lunged down the hallway. Alone. She turned a corner, seeing a man and a woman hunched over the body of a third. The man looked up at her and snarled, his eyes glowing in the beam of her flashlight. Somehow, her gun was already at her shoulder, she squeezed off three shots, and the zombie went sprawling. The zombie woman lunged at her and pain exploded as the zombie's flailing hands raked across her face. She shoved the zombie back with her carbine, flipping the selector lever and cutting it down with a burst of gunfire.

She crashed into the wall, the world spinning out of focus, flashes of light across her vision driving stakes of agony into her skull. She clutched her face with one hand, squeezing her eyes tightly shut, willing, praying for the spell to pass. While she waited, she started to remember just how she'd gotten to this point ...

* * *

><p><em>Some time ago ...<em>

The betrayal was _really _ starting to sting. It'd been, maybe, two or three days since Norimi and her friends left them on the side of a road to die. Since Yui saved them all by hiding some guns in her guitar bag.

Ritsu stretched, watching Yui out of the corner of her eye. There was something _different_ about that girl. Shortly after they were all rearmed, she'd stopped talking. It was as if she'd decided to retreat from the world.

Even now, she sat, perched on a cashier's counter, looking thoughtful as she stared out the shattered windows of a Lawson's they'd found.

"Ritsu! Ritsu!" Mio said. Ritsu turned around, as Mio ran up to her. "I-I can't believe they missed these!"

Ritsu looked down at, seeing a pair of grungy instant ramen packages. She tilted her head.

"Where'd you find those?"

"They were on the floor behind one of the shelves."

"Guess nobody thought ... to look there," Ritsu replied, a faint smile pulling at her lips.

"Hey Yui," she said. "We found dinner!"

Yui looked back at Ritsu and Mio. She smiled and flashed them a "peace" sign, then turned away again without saying anything. Ritsu and Mio exchanged glances, with identical expressions of worry on their faces.

"Ritsu," Mio said. "What do you think is going on with Yui?"

Ritsu pressed her lips together.

"Dunno," she replied. Mio frowned and Ritsu held out her hands, before making shooing motions toward the corner. As they made their way to the back of the store, she sighed.

"I ... well, I think maybe this is the first time she's ... had her heart broken."

Mio's mouth dropped open.

"Ritsu! Y-you're not saying that ... "

Ritsu shook her head.

"Didn't mean it like that ... I mean ... well, we've been pretty lucky with people, y'know?"

Mio looked down at the floor.

"Yeah, I guess so," she replied.

Ritsu nodded. "Everyone's been so ... nice and ... supportive," she said, feeling her breath catch in her throat. "A-and even Sawa ... sensei's friends, like ... Norimi."

She stepped up to Mio, putting a hand on her shoulder, her head dropping as she leaned in.

"I ... was willing to give them a shot, 'cuz ... she'd been alright the first time we'd met. And then," Ritsu trailed off, swallowing hard. "A-and then ... goddamn it, they b-betrayed us."

Mio wrapped herself tightly around Ritsu, shaking.

"Don't ... don't think Yui's ever been ... betrayed before ... n-not ever," Ritsu managed. "This hurts for me too ... a lot," she murmured, burying her face into Mio's shirt.

* * *

><p><em>Now ...<em>

The world stopped spinning, and Ritsu carefully opened her eyes. Mercifully, she wasn't on the floor. Less-mercifully, staring at the beam of her own flashlight was causing her brain to claw at the insides of her skull and her stomach to turn.

"Damn it, not now," she muttered. With a shaky hand, she reached into her pocket for a bottle of pills. She chewed on one, the wretched taste taking her mind off the pain. "I have not ... come this far ... to die now."

By degrees, the pain loosened its hold on her head, and the strength returned to her legs. Pain swirled around the inside of her head as she pushed herself off the wall. There was never enough time to let the painkillers take effect. Just enough time to take the edge off, and then keep pushing to the next safe zone.

But where was the next safe zone when you were on a suicide mission?

"It's no suicide mission," Ritsu said sternly to herself. "Just ... just start a generator on the top of a building, and wait for your friends to fight off the ensuing horde. P-piece of cake."

She turned a corner, her flashlight illuminating two dead bodies. A man and a woman, holding on to each other. Up the hallway, a pair of zombies leaned against a wall. One threw up and glanced morosely at Ritsu's light. Her heart leaped into her throat as she saw the machine pistol hanging under one of its arms.

The zombie snarled, turning toward Ritsu. Its gun swung freely, clearly forgotten. The other zombie roused from its stupor, but Ritsu had already dropped to one knee. Gunshots rang out in precise pairs. The zombie with the gun staggered back, new splatters of blood on the wall behind it. The second zombie lurched forward, collapsing into a heap. Ritsu fired one last time, and the first zombie collapsed against the wall, leaving a long smear of blood.

She took a deep breath, the concussive blasts of gunfire reverberating inside her head, playing merry hell with her sense of balance. Her legs refused her demands that they get her up off her knees.

"Damn it!" She rubbed her thigh. "Okay, I admit it," she said into the darkness. "I'm pretty messed-up."

The darkness responded with some low, breathy, growls. _Great, more zombies._ Ritsu exchanged the magazine in her gun for a fresh one.

She stared out into the inky darkness, the growls bouncing from the walls, the ceiling.

_There!_

From around a corner. One, two, three ... five shuffling, shambling shapes appeared from the black, yellow eyeshine darting up and down and side to side. Pale, gray, bloodstained claw-like hands reaching out for Ritsu. Blackened teeth gnashing, eager for her flesh.

Her gun fired in staccato bursts, the zombies nearly glowing in their deathly pallor with each flash of gunfire, their motions jerky in the strobelike light. The growls became screams, which became howls. Zombies dropped, staggered, and lurched under Ritsu's fire. Behind them, more zombies staggered around the corner and sprinted at Ritsu.

_Ping!_ An empty magazine dropped to the floor, and a fresh one was slammed home in its place. Ritsu swung her gun, pushing back two zombies just enough to fire at them. Blood, spittle, and ichor splattered against her face.

_Click!_

Damn! A jam! Two left! Ritsu let the carbine drop to her side, drawing her two revolvers. She fired at the two last zombies lurching at her. A heavy weight smashed into her, knocking her off her knees ...

* * *

><p><em>Some time ago ...<em>

Ritsu's stomach growled, and she could feel her insides gurgling. She didn't feel at all well, and she knew the others felt the same way. No water apart from collected rainwater, no microwaves, no stoves, and not even any means of making fire made for _terrible_ instant ramen.

She stumbled forward, clutching her revolvers tightly, as she scrambled up the wet hillside. They'd seen that helicopter ... and they'd seen go down in the hills. There hadn't been a big plume of smoke, and that meant that ... maybe someone had survived.

"Heh," Ritsu said. "H-hope they turn out to be better than ... than the last group."

"How much farther," Mugi said.

"Should be just over that hill, Mugi-chan," Yui replied. She was the one who'd first noticed the helicopter and ... astonishingly, was the one leading them up the hill. Ritsu pressed her lips together ... this was the most she'd said in a while.

_Crack! _

They screamed at the sound.

_Crack! Crack-crack!_

"Wh-what the hell," Ritsu said, feeling her heart pounding in her chest.

"T-that's gunfire," Mio squeaked.

"I know," Ritsu replied, forcing herself to breathe deeply, feeling her head tighten. "T-that's from the crash site ... you think there's zombies up there?"

_Crack!_

They froze, hunkered down against the cold, muddy, soil. The last echoes of that final gunshot faded away, and they were left in silence. For many minutes, they waited, but the silence became an oppressive, heavy, thing.

"Let's ... get up there," Ritsu said. "_Carefully._"

They picked their way up the hill, and Ritsu found that her hands were still shaking.

"C'mon … this is some crap," she murmured, just as she reached the top of the hill. "What …"

"R-ritsu," Mio said.

"I see 'em," Ritsu replied. The helicopter looked American, but what struck her were the dead soldiers surrounding it … some with weapons still at their sides. "Let's … let's check it out," she said, starting down the slope, toward the wreckage. As she reached the wreckage, she could see that the men on the ground had all been shot in the face … except for one man, whose pistol lay near his limp hand, who'd clearly shot himself in the head.

"What … the hell happened here?" Sudden, macabre, curiosity compelled her to look into the dead man's eyes. She swallowed as she saw the faintest hint of yellow reflected back at her.

She closed her eyes, rising unsteadily to her feet. As she opened them again, she looked around. These were definitely Americans … she recognized their rifles. She swallowed.

"Okay guys, let's … let's just search these soldiers, and get out of here."

* * *

><p><em>Now ...<em>

Ritsu woke up, a dead charger lying on top of her. Her headache had returned with a vengeance. She moaned, wryly noting how much like a zombie she sounded.

"Okay, alright, I can do this … I can do this," she murmured. She pushed the dead zombie off, and sat up among the carnage of corpses. A wave of dizziness tied her stomach into knots, and she coughed and retched in a spasm of dry heaves. The world stopped trying to throw her off, she cleared the jam in her carbine, and fished out the ten cartridges she needed to reload her revolvers.

"This is still you guys' best shot at getting out of this alive," Ritsu finished, pushing herself to her feet. Ten empty shell casings thudded to the carpet. Ten shiny new rounds dropped home, and she was finally able to holster her guns. "You guys ... you guys are gonna miss me."

She closed her eyes, listening to her pounding heart and her unsteady breathing. Her eyes started to burn with tears.

"Listen to me ... talking like this. It's ... it's not over yet." A single tear cut its way down her cheek. "It's not over till it's over." She staggered as a wave of dizziness broke over her. She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling the world spinning around her, feeling hot tears coursing down her cheeks.

"C'mon Ritsu! You can't give up yet! You ... you're not gonna die in some goddamned abandoned office building! C'mon, you can fight through this!"

She pinched herself. And she held it, tightly, until the dizziness faded. She held that pinch, whimpering in the darkness.

"I could use some of your special skinship right now, Akiyama-san," she whispered, exhaling sharply.

* * *

><p><em>Some time ago …<em>

Ritsu woke slowly to gentle rocking. She felt very, very, warm, propped up against Mio. She opened her eyes, slowly rolling into a sitting position. Every muscle ached, and she felt persistently light-headed.

"Morning, Mio-chan," she murmured, gently pinching Mio's cheek.

"Five … more … minutes," Mio replied, not really awake.

"Sure," Ritsu said. "You earned it." She looked around, seeing Mugi and Yui lying on the floor nearby. They were all aboard a ship of some sort, and they'd been on it since the night before.

"That was too close," she murmured. They'd found the radio by the dock, were told to turn on the spotlight, and miraculously, managed to fight off the ensuing horde. When they'd gotten onboard, Ritsu was stunned to be greeted by three girls who looked to be her age.

"I'll be back," she said, rising to her feet. There was a door that she vaguely recalled would lead outside. She pushed it open, feeling the cool sea air buffeting her. Immediately she saw a short-haired blonde girl, leaning against the rail, with a rifle slung behind her.

"Hey," Ritsu said. The girl looked back at Ritsu and waved.

"Hey there," she replied. "Glad to see you're finally up … c'mon over."

"Yes," Ritsu said, gingerly picking her way over to the rail, grabbing hold just as her general light-headedness evolved into a full-on dizzy spell.

"You okay," the girl said, frowning.

"Yeah … totally fine," Ritsu replied. "Not on boats often," she lied.

"Okay," the girl said. The wariness in her tone struck Ritsu, and she quickly decided to change the subject.

"Hey," she said. "Thanks for the save last night."

"That's why we're here," the girl replied. "Well … that's why Kanbara-san is here … he's the pilot."

"Oh," Ritsu said, tilting her head to look at the girl.

"Yeah," the girl replied. "He's been picking up and transporting other Survivors … we've just been helping him out."

"That's … pretty cool, actually," Ritsu said.

"I know, right!" The girl replied, with a grin that faded quickly. "Well … I really wish Akira was a little more into it."

"Eh?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," the girl replied. "Akira's the one with the short, dark, hair that you may have seen last night. I'm Ayame, by the way."

"I'm Ritsu Tainaka."

Ayame frowned.

"That name sounds familiar," she said. "You … uh … do you know a Yui, by any chance?"

"What?" Ritsu said, feeling her jaw go slack. "I … yeah, we have a Yui," she said. "Why do you wanna know?"

Ayame looked away, staring at the sea in complete silence while gripping the rails even tighter. When she looked back at Ritsu, her eyes were bright.

"D-did there used to be two other girls with you?"

Ritsu swallowed. "Y-yeah … you know something, don't you?"

Ayame nodded, blinking furiously.

"W-we met them," she replied. "A-a girl with a short ponytail … and a short girl with really l-long, dark, hair."

"Ui and Azusa," Ritsu whispered.

"Ui," Ayame echoed. "Ui's sister was named Yui … and they'd gotten separated, and she was trying to get back to her sister and her friends … ohmygosh, that's _**you**_ guys, isn't it?"

Ritsu nodded convulsively. The dizziness was being replaced with slow-burning pain. "W-what happened … to them?"

Ayame looked away again.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice quavering. "T-they're … dead, both of … them."

"What!" Ritsu said, grabbing Ayame's shoulder with a hand, pushing her until she was face-to-face with Ritsu. "How?"

Ayame grabbed Ritsu's hand, flinging it off.

"Azusa was _infected_," she replied, her voice thick. "D-did you know that? She was turning, w-we had to _leave_ her! But Ui w-wanted to say goodbye … she said she'd b-be back … but that was … the last time any of us saw her alive …"

* * *

><p><em>Now …<em>

Ritsu pushed herself off the wall, and pushed herself into action. Remembering that wasn't helping her head, at all. She _still_ hadn't shared what Ayame told her with the others. It was knowledge that was eating at her … knowledge that she somehow _knew_ that it wasn't the right time to share.

Coughing?

She froze, holding her breath in the foul darkness. After a few moments, she heard it again. Someone was definitely coughing nearby, and now she could just hear the grunts and moans of a few more zombies.

"Damn it, that's one of those smokin' things," she said to herself, feeling her throat tighten. She twitched the muzzle of her carbine from side to side, the flashlight beam dancing in the darkness.

"C-c'mon out," she said, sliding very slowly along the wall. That tongue gave her nightmares. If one of those got her now … well … it wasn't going to be good.

"Where are you!"

Breathy silence … she couldn't hear the coughing anymore, but that wasn't slowing her racing pulse at all.

"Not good … not good … not good … not," she murmured, casting her flashlight beam down the hallway. As it swept past an open door, there was the quickest glint of yellow.

"Yaaaaaaah!"

Something shot out, sliding past the side of Ritsu's neck and splattering her with drool. She had no time, as it whipped around, warm, slimy, pulsating coils wrapping around her neck.

"No," she gasped, feeling herself being pulled forward. Instinctively, her hands came up, even though she was still holding her rifle. Her eyes tracked that spot of light, and suddenly, something came to her.

The explosive _crack_ of gunfire lit up the hallway like a strobe, as Ritsu fired over and over and over.

Gray appeared at the edges of her vision as that tongue tightened into a stranglehold and yanked her forward. She felt herself losing her footing, but she fired, even as she fell.

_Thoom!_

Ritsu hit carpet, face first, seeing an explosion of stars as she hit. But, she wasn't being dragged forward, and the tongue was suddenly limp. She moaned, not moving for several moments, before she forced herself to roll onto her back. She pulled at the slick coils, trying to get them off before the smoker's friends got to her.

* * *

><p><em>Some time ago …<em>

"We're gonna keep moving on … see if we can help out some other folk," the voice boomed over the loudspeaker.

"Bye-bye," Mugi said, waving.

"Thanks, Kanbara-san," Ritsu shouted. The boat's engine roared and it started to pull away from the pier. As she watched it go by, her eyes found those of Ayame, Akira, and their friend Sachi. Akira didn't acknowledge her, Sachi looked away, but Ayame held Ritsu's gaze until they were too far to see each other.

"I … I think we're finally here," Mio said, looking around. Ritsu turned away from the water. There were buildings as far as the eye could see. In the distance, there were many, _many_, plumes of black oily smoke, and the sky was filled with a brown haze Ritsu could taste.

"Yeah," she replied. "Welcome to Tokyo," she said, crossing her arms behind her head. She sniffed the air, glancing at the wrecked cars and barricades that lay a short distance beyond the pier. "I think I hate it already."

"Now now," Mugi said. "We're here, it's an accomplishment I think we should be happy about. Right, Yui-chan?"

"Uhhuh," Yui replied, not really paying attention. Ritsu glanced back at her. She'd sworn Ayame to silence, terrified of the thought of what might happen if Yui found out about Ui and Azusa before she had a chance to cope with what she was going through _now._

She shrugged her shoulders, feeling how light her pack felt. Ayame's silence, and the silence of her friends, came at a price.

"W-where's the military," Mio said, clutching her rifle. "Yui … you said that Nodoka thought the military'd be here."

Yui looked away from the ruined cityscape, her eyes lighting on Mio. Before she could speak, there was a thunderous roar as two big, twin-engine, jets screamed in from direction of the bay. They pulled into a steep climb, practically on top of them.

"There, Mio-chan," she said, pointing up. Somewhere, off in the distance, Ritsu could hear explosions.

* * *

><p><em>Now …<em>

Ritsu climbed up, what felt like, an endless flight of stairs. Each footstep made her head throb just that much more. She clutched a revolver tightly in one hand, and a flashlight in the other. Her rifle hung at her side, uselessly empty.

"Up, up … keep moving," she said to herself, forcing one foot in front of the other. "C-can't stop now … can't stop now."

As she forced herself ever higher, she noticed how most of the doors leading to the stairwell were blocked off with hastily-stacked office furniture … presumably the handiwork of whoever thought to put a generator on the building's roof.

Someone … no, _several_ someones, also scrawled graffiti on their way up the stairwell. A lot of graffiti …

_**XXX - It takes at least 4 days to change -XXX  
><strong>_

_**WRONG!**_

_**XXX - 3 days - XXX**_

_**2-1/2 hours!**_

_**I saw it happen in 5 mins!**_

"Geez," Ritsu said, her flashlight drifting up the wall.

_**WUT R THE AMERICANS DOING HERE?**_

_**AMERICANS **__**STAY IN OKINAWA - NO!**__** GTFO!**_

_**Japan for **__**Japanese!**__** - JAPAN FOR ZOMBIES!**_

_**^^^^^ NOT zombies! SICK!**_

_**THEY'LL **__**DIE**__** LIKE U WILL**_

Ritsu glanced down at her American rifle. It took the girls some time to work out how to use them, but once they did … she was grateful for their lighter weight. She sat down at the top of the stairs, closing her eyes, and trying to will her headache into submission.

* * *

><p><em>Some time ago …<em>

"Okay . . . who the hell puts a generator atop a five story building to feed an _underground_ warehouse?" Ritsu said, leaning heavily against a wall. They'd found, and followed, set of 'safehouse' signs to ... what turned out to be an underground warehouse located just off the local subway line.

"Someone with lots of power cable, Ricchan," Yui replied. It would've been a classic example of her tendency to state the obvious ... but it came out far too flat. Ritsu looked at her, feeling butterflies in her stomach. What could she say to get Yui to open up?

"Yeah," Mio replied. "I guess it makes sense." Ritsu frowned at having missed the relevant conversation. "It'd keep the zombies away from the shelter."

"But how'd they keep the zombies out of that building?"

Ritsu's frown remained firmly affixed as she examined the building. Debris was scattered across the street, and a car had been knocked off to one side. The huge dent suggested that something _big_ had bashed it away.

"They had a pretty good barricade," she said.

"Yeah ... b-but ... what took it down," Mio said, looking a little pale. Ritsu frowned ... Mio should've known damned well what sort of zombie would do that sort of damage.

"Tanks," Yui replied.

"Yeah ... one of those big guys," Mugi added. The girls shivered at the thought.

"We need to get that generator restarted if we're to get into that shelter," Mugi said. "But ... hmm ... it's going to make a lot of noise."

"Yeah," Ritsu said. "Which is why I think _one _of us should go up there and restart it."

They all looked at her.

"R-ritsu!" Mio was the first to speak. "Go up there ... alone?"

Ritsu nodded. "I don't know about you, but I don't want to have to fight my way down out of a dark building, and _then_ down into the subway, just to get into the safe room."

"But ... alone?"

Ritsu closed her eyes and nodded.

"This area's been cleared pretty good," she said. "The building should be pretty empty."

"And w-what about the rest of us? What do we do?"

"We fight the horde," Mugi replied, understanding dawning. "Where we can see them."

"And whoever goes up possibly won't come back," Yui said. "Ricchan, pretty empty isn't totally empty."

"I know ... I know," Ritsu replied. "Which is ... which is ... why I'm volunteering to be the one go up there!"

* * *

><p><em>Now ...<em>

"Wh-what was I thinking," Ritsu said, pushing herself woozily to her feet. Her head still hurt, but the pain was just manageable enough for her to push ahead. She reached for the handle to the door, pushing it open. She squinted, as the hazy afternoon sun assailed her eyes.

"Jackpot," she said with a quick fist-pump. The generator sat in front of her, surrounded by chain-link fencing. Next to it were a couple of wood crates. One contained what were obviously rifle magazines. The other ...

"Bottles? What?" She said, kneeling beside the crate. They were liquor bottles, with rags in the mouths, and strike-anywhere matches taped to the sides. She picked one up, sniffed the rag, and the fumes set her head to spinning.

As she set the bottle down, she spotted still more graffiti ...

_**Narita Airport – **__**STILL EVACUATING! - **__**OVERRUN!  
>Haneda Airport – <strong>__**STILL EVACUATING! - **__**OVERRUN!  
>U. of Toyko Hospital – <strong>__**STILL EVACUATING!**__** - OVERRUN!  
>Kitanomaru Park<strong>__** – DON'T BOTHER! OVERRUN!**_

_**ENTIRE CITY GONE – IF YOU CAN READ THIS, **__**LEAVE!**_

_**U FIRST! ARMY WILL PROTECT US - LIES! ARMY RAN AWAY**_

_**NO – They were OVERRUN!**_

_**IIIII IIIII **__**I**__**IIII **__**I**__**IIII **__**I**__**IIII IIIII **__**II  
>Sniping's a <strong>__**good**__** job, mate!**_

_**Madoka... hope you got out of the US**_  
><em><strong>I'm waiting for you... I love you...<strong>_  
><em><strong>- Taki<strong>_

_**USELESS FUKKIN 'SNIPER' – NOW THEY GOT TAKI!**_

_**No hope  
>^^^^^^ STUPID! - I'm with stupid<strong>_

As Ritsu's eyes scanned the wall, she spotted a crude drawing of some stick figures on fire with an arrow pointing to an equally crude drawing of a bottle. Just under it was an even cruder drawing of a penis.

"Blech," she said, looking away from the penis. As she did so, she noticed there were some words written under the drawing of the burning stick figures.

_**They burn! **_

"I wonder," Ritsu said, turning back toward the bottles with the rags. She picked one up, sniffing it again ... it definitely smelled like some unholy mixture that was dominated mainly by gasoline.

"Huh ... nevermind ... I've got a job to do," she said, wrinkling her nose. She immediately stuffed it into her pack, along with several fresh rifle magazines. She then made her way over to the edge of the building, clutching the chain-link fence, peering down. She smiled as she saw the others, waiting at the entry of the subway, behind the sandbags.

"I made it," she yelled, wincing at the waves of pain that caused.

"Ritsu," Mio and Mugi yelled back. Mio grabbed Mugi's hands, jumping up and down. Yui looked up at Ritsu and made a gesture that Ritsu thought looked like a thumbs-up.

"We're ready down here, Ricchan," she said.

"I'm gonna hit it now," Ritsu yelled, clutching the fence even harder. "It's about to get serious!"

She backed away from the fence, unslinging her rifle and checking it over. She then crossed her hands behind her head, looking out over Tokyo.

"Right," she finally, said, exhaling sharply, striding up to the generator. "I've got this! Not a big deal."

She stabbed at the start button, and the generator clanked loudly for several moments before roaring to life. For a few moments, all she could hear was the roar of the generator. And then she could hear a different roar ... the enraged screams of many zombies coming together in one hair-raising _**howl!**_

"Oh... crap..."

* * *

><p>Ritsu stumbled out of the building and into the blinding daylight. It brought on an attack of dizziness that forced her to lean against the doorway. She brought a hand up to her face to screen out the light, and looked around. Dead bodies were everywhere. Freshly dead ones, wreathed in pools of their own blood. Her eyes found the snaking black of the power cable that tied the building to the saferoom in the subway. Ritsu's eyes followed the cable, across the street, to three waving, grinning girls on the other side.<p>

"Ritsu! You did it!" Mugi said.

"That was pretty cool, Ritsu," Mio said.

Ritsu coughed and chuckled.

"Couldn't have done it without you guys," she said. She pushed herself off the wall, and for the moment, her legs held her up. "Let's get into that shelter."

_"Roaaaaaar!"_

"Damn it," Ritsu said, blinking, reaching for her carbine.

_CRASH!_

"Oh damn it, damn it, damn it ... not now. Please, not now," Ritsu said, her voice a whimper. Suddenly, the entrance to the subway looked like it was a million miles away.

_"Heeraaaagh!"_

_CRASH! Boom!_

"Stay there!" Ritsu screamed at her friends. "For the love of God, stay there!"

_THOOM! THOOM! THOOM!_

"Where are you, you big, stupid, brute?" Ritsu screamed again.

_CRASH!_

They'd always seen the bodies.

_CRUNCH!_

So many bodies. Crushed, and pounded into pulp.

_"Rawwwarrgh!"_

Ritsu would never forget what happened to Sumire.

_BOOM!_

Nodoka died in a giant fireball ... just to kill one. All of them had nearly died to kill another.

The monstrous hulk rounded a corner, pounding his grotesquely outsized chest with meaty fists. He peered at Ritsu with bloodshot, beady, little eyes; and howled in spiteful triumph.

"What are you doing! Get to the shelter!" Ritsu yelled at her friends, unleashing a burst from her carbine at the monster zombie. The monster twitched and howled at her, charging down the street, toward the hastily rebuilt barricade.

_CRUNCH!_

His fist smashed into the wreckage of a small car, and sparks erupted from the pavement as it was shoved aside. Ritsu fired at the monster again, and again, staggering toward him. She prayed she could distract him long enough for her friends to get to safety.

_Just like Nodoka._

Now she understood.

_Ping!_

An empty magazine dropped to the ground and Ritsu reached for another. She felt a heavy glass bottle in her pack.

_What!_

That's right, there were a crate of those bottles by the generator. She'd stuffed one into her pack before she'd started the generator.

She screamed as a chunk of broken pavement whistled by her head. She dropped to her knees next to another parked car, finding the magazine she was looking for. She jammed it home and pulled the charging handle.

_Pop! Pop-pop-pop-pop!_

She had his full attention now. Her impromptu cover rocked as it was hit by a car wheel, thrown as casually as one might toss a Frisbee. Ritsu prayed for the safety of her friends.

_**They burn!**_

What was that?

_CRASH!_

Ritsu tumbled back, miraculously holding onto her gun. The hood of the car she was behind had been caved-in by a manhole cover and some attached concrete.

_There was graffiti by the generator!_

Ritsu let off another three-round burst, trying to drag herself back toward the office building.

_And it said "They burn!"_

What if ...

Ritsu let her carbine drop to her side, dangling by its strap. She reached into her pack and pulled out the bottle with the rag in it she'd stuffed in there earlier. Nodoka had killed hers by blowing up a gas tanker. She held no such illusions that her little bottle would have the same effect, but the big guy might definitely notice being set on fire.

She dropped into the alcove again; fumbling for the strike-anywhere match taped to the bottle. She yanked it off, and with trembling fingers, managed to light it. The smoke burned her eyes, and the smell triggered an immediate dizzy spell that rooted her in place.

"C'mon, ugly," Ritsu shouted. "I'm not afraid of you!"

The monster zombie roared and charged toward her on his knuckles and feet. Ritsu threw her burning bottle at the zombie with all she had left.

_Smash! Whoosh!_

The monster was engulfed in a fireball.

_"Rrrraaaaargh!"_

The giant became a tower of man-shaped fire. It raised its burning arms into the air, shaking its fists angrily at the sky. Then it took several galloping steps toward Ritsu, and grabbed at the parked car.

_BAM!_

Ritsu was on the ground in agony. Smashed wreckage surrounded her, and her vision swum.

"Rooooooaaar!"

_How distant that sounded,_ Ritsu thought. _Oh,_ she added, as she noticed the darkness bleeding in at the edges of her vision. The agony faded with the world. At least ... at least she wouldn't be awake when that damned monster zombie turned her into just another crushed ex-survivor.

_Crack! Crack-crack-crack!_

Gunfire?

_Boom! Boom! Boom!_

"You fools," Ritsu said, realizing what that had to be. And then the darkness smothered her.

* * *

><p>"Ritsu ... Ricchan!"<p>

"Oh no, Ritsu! Don't give up on us now! Come back! Please! Oh no ... no ... nononono!"

"Hang on, Ricchan! Yui! Hurry!"

"Don't leave me alone Ritsu! Please!"

"She's so cold ... she's so cold ... stay with us, Ricchan!"

"Mugi-chan! I've got it!"

"Ritsuuuu!"

"Mio! Move!"

"I got her bra ... Mugi-chan, she feels sooo cold!"

"Hold on, Ricchan ... I'm sorry ... "

* * *

><p>Ritsu Tainaka was dying.<p>

This she was sure of. It was all finally catching up with her. The whole goddamned zombie apocalypse. Every scratch, every bite, every punch, every kick, every blow to the head. She felt them all. Ritsu just _hurt_. And she hurt everywhere.

And she was cold. So very, very, cold. She felt hollow, only icy emptiness was inside her, and her mouth tasted of ashes.

There was darkness, and the darkness was full.

There was darkness, and the darkness was warm.

Ritsu crawled back into the darkness.

* * *

><p>Ritsu Tainaka was dying.<p>

This she was sure of. It was all finally catching up with her. The whole goddamned zombie apocalypse. Every scratch, every bite, every punch, every kick, every blow to the head. She felt them all. Ritsu just _hurt_. And she hurt everywhere.

And someone wasn't helping matters with all the shaking.

"Squad-member Ritsu! Wake up!"

Why are you shaking me, Yui? Oh God, I feel terrible; let me rest!

"Ricchan's coming around."

_"Rooooooaaar!"_

Ritsu's eyes snapped open, but she wasn't looking at a hazy afternoon sky. She was staring up into a bright light, and that light felt like it filled her world.

"Squad-member Ricchan! Don't go into the light!"

"Yui! T ... t ... turn that flashlight off!"

Ritsu was plunged into darkness once more, but the darkness didn't swallow her. Instead, she gradually saw a fuzzy concrete ceiling, and she was ringed by murky figures.

"Big guy," she murmured. _Big guy?_

"We got him, Ricchan," Mugi replied. Ritsu's eyes focused on her. Mugi's blue eyes were bloodshot, and filled with tears.

_How's that possible?_

"You set him on fire, Ricchan!" Yui said. "It looked awesome!"

Suddenly, everything came back. The desperate firefight with the monster. The throwing of that bottle. Looking into that monster's hateful eyes, even as it burned.

"You ... you guys came back?"

"We never left," Mugi said. "We'd never leave you."

"But I was ... trying to save you all."

"You ... you did," that was Mio. Ritsu looked at her. She too, had been crying. She still was. "And ... and ... then we saved you."

"It's a good thing there was an AED in the subway," Yui said. The playfulness in her voice when Ritsu was waking up, was gone again.

"Yui-chan brought it over ... you'd been pinned under wreckage, and I couldn't find a pulse," Mugi said.

Ritsu nodded, moving her hands. They clung, for the briefest of moments, to the skin of her chest.

"I guess we're in the shelter," she said, her voice hoarse. "And why am I naked?"

"I'm sorry, Ricchan," Mugi replied. "Your clothes were pretty ruined when we got you out of that rubble. I'll ... I'll find you some clean clothes in the morning!"

"You ... you're heavier than you look, Tainaka-san," Mio said, laying her head atop Ritsu's chest. "Don't leave me again, you hear me!"

"Alright," Ritsu replied. Mio's head was heavy, but the warmth . . . it felt good through the blanket.

"I think we should all let Ricchan get some rest now," Yui said.

"But weren't you the one shaking me?"

"Everyone had to see that you're okay, Ricchan," Yui replied. "Rest now. We're gonna get _busy_ soon."

"Wh ... what now?"

"Just listen to her," Mio murmured sleepily, sighing softly, her ear on Ritsu's chest.

Ritsu looked up at Yui again, but Yui had already turned away, unfolding herself and retreating to the far end of the bunker. She took a slow, deep breath, putting her hand on Mio's back. Absentmindedly, she started running her fingertips through Mio's hair. Warmth spread through her ... she didn't have to be awake, but, she thought, feeling the smoothness of Mio's hair, and the warmth of her body, she didn't have to fall into the darkness either.

Ritsu's eyes fluttered closed, and buoyed by the warmth surrounding her, allowed herself to drift off into sleep.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Author's Notes<strong>**:**  
>- This makes the twentieth chapter of <em>Left 4 Moe<em>. Which is funny, because I had most of the non-flashback material written for this chapter back when I was working on the first three or four chapters.  
>- And now Ritsu knows what happened to Ui and Azusa ... and she's decided not to share. What will the knowledge do to her?<br>- I had Houkago Tea Time's intersection with OnNaGumi sketched out as a little two chapter arc; but decided to omit it in the end. Instead, here's this chapter, presented in the same present/flashback format as the _Dead Reckoning_ chapter.  
>- This will be the last time OnNaGumi will appear in this story.<br>- The Tokyo Metropolitan Government maintains a number of secret underground warehouses that are stocked with supplies in case of emergencies.  
>- In <em>Left 4 Dead<em>, Louis recognizes a message written in Japanese for someone named "Taki." Now the loop has been properly closed.  
>- Stupid lack of strikethrough.<br>- I know if you're needing a defibrillator, you're likely going to be in _seriously_ bad shape. But, to be fair, Ritsu _is_ in seriously bad shape …  
>- Reviews are appreciated and, as always, thanks for reading! See you next chapter!<p> 


	21. Chapter 20

**Dead Right****:**  
><em>Sometimes it's better to be wrong.<em>

I … hate this. I hate this, I hate this, I hate this, _I __**hate**__ this!_

Mommy and Daddy are dead … my whole family is dead.

Sawako-sensei is dead. Nodoka is dead. Nearly everyone I ever knew from school, or anywhere, is dead.

I hate this.

I hate myself for being alive. I hate myself for surviving. I wish I could run away, and shut the world out.

Why do I keep going, then?

Someone screams my name, and I turn and I look and I scream. But, somehow, I manage to survive something else that should've killed me. I can barely keep myself from shaking as I drop the … magazine from my gun and make sure I've still got bullets.

I hate guns. I hate knives. I hate clubs. I hate violence. I really hate scary things.

How am I still going?

It's so dark and wet down here. It doesn't feel good. There are so many places and shadows for _them_ to hide in. I don't feel good. I don't remember the last time I've had a good meal, or a hot bath, or a place to sleep where I really felt safe. I even think I'm forgetting what _chocolate_ tastes like.

No! You get away from her! Get away from her! No … get away from me! Get away! Get away!

Oh my god, I'm out … I need to reload … where is it! No! Get away! Please! No!

I'm suddenly clear … just enough time to reload. Just in time to kill some more. Just in time to survive again. Just in time to watch someone die, but never enough time to deal with it.

Just bury it. Bury it deep. Bury it good. Try not to think about it. Don't think about. Don't shut down. Keep going. Keep surviving. Just another step. Just another bullet. Don't stop now. I hate it.

Where am I going?

I'm going up. Up is good. Up is away from this place. Up is bad. Up is outside, where _they_ are waiting for me. But I have to go up, because if I don't, even worse things will happen.

I don't know what's worse than where I'm at now. I can't cry. I can't breathe. I have to face the world, and I don't have enough time to cope.

I'm outside. One of _them_ is there … one of the big ones, but he is dead. He is _very_ dead. There is so much death, and I'll never get used to the smell. It's in everything I touch. It's in everything I wear. It's in everything I drink, and everything I eat.

I don't feel good, but I force down some water anyway. I have to keep going. I have to keep surviving. I hate it, but I do it anyway.

I just want to cry. That's all I want.

No, that's not right. I want things to go back to the way they were. I want to be in a place where it's okay not to be brave. Where I don't have to do extraordinary things all the time. I just want it to be normal, so I can be me again.

Oh no! Here they come! Why are there always so many of them? What keeps _them_ going? Stay away from her! No! No! No! Someone else needs to reload, and I need to protect them. Get away! Stay away! Leave my friends alone! Die! Die! Die!

Dear God, what am I becoming?

I can't even remember _not_ knowing how to shoot a gun. It's weird because it can't have been any more than a month. I almost can't remember what going to school was like … even though, every night, I lay awake in the dark and I try my best to remember what life was like before.

I hate this. I hate this. I hate this! But I do it anyway. I follow my friends across the street, into yet another dark building. At least I know it's empty, but we have to enter it anyway. It's a lot of stairs, and the graffiti scares me, but I make the climb anyway.

I hear my name, I turn, and I see a crate full of bottles stuffed with rags. Somehow, it becomes my job to take as many of them with me as I can. I stare at the bottle, at the crude drawings on the wall, and I remember what I saw the day before. It's another violent thing I'm gonna have to learn to use. More violence. More death. More killing. More, more, more. Was this what it was like for Sawako-sensei … when she was trying to date that boy?

I don't want any part of any of that stuff! Of darkness, and of boys! Men are animals! Even before they _literally_ became animals! Why me? Why am I still alive? Why am I suffering?

No time to think. Time to go back down there … into the cold and the dark. Not back towards shelter, but deeper. Where it's darker. Where there are more of _them._

Why are we down here? She's waiting for us back there.

What do you mean you think you've found something? Why didn't you tell us that before? No … but … _you're_ agreeing too? B-but _she_ doesn't know! What if something happens to us, and we don't make it back to her?

It's not going to be just fine! This is a terrible idea! What's gotten into you two? I-I think we should go back and run this by her first. What do you mean there's no time? When have we ever had anything _but_ time in all of this! I … what are you doing? G-guys … no! Wait for me! Don't leave me here alone!

Why is this having such an effect on me? I'm not even bothered as much by the thought of going deeper … it's just another thing to bury …

That's right … just bury it. Bury it deep. Bury it good. Try not to think about it. Don't think about. Don't shut down. Keep going. Keep surviving. Just another step. Just another step further into the darkness … further from _her_. Don't stop now. I hate it.

I hate this. I hate that we're going somewhere, and keeping her out of it.

But wasn't there that time she spent the day with Mugi, and didn't invite you along?

But she did … and I told her off.

I remember all this, and I want to cry. I want to cry because that world is gone, and for everything else. No! I can't cry now. I can't shut down. I have to keep going. I musn't run away … I musn't run away … I musn't run away ...

We're doing this for her, right? Is … that why we don't have any time? Because _she's_ dying?

Oh my God …

Oh my God …

I can't say that! I can't think that! It's not true! I refuse to believe it! I can't believe it! _She's_ been so strong, I don't even know if any of us would be alive if it weren't for her.

I wouldn't be alive, if it weren't for her. I'd be dead, just like my Mommy and my Daddy, and all my family, and all of my other friends.

I hate that I'm still alive!

But I'm grateful that I'm still alive, because of _her._

Is that why I'm still going? Am I still alive because if I weren't, I'd be letting _her_ down?

If that's true, do I keep _her_ going? I wish I knew … I so wish I knew.

I remember that I've known her since I was a little girl. She's always been egging me on, pushing me, and teasing me.

That's so irritating … doesn't she ever get it? I don't like being told scary things. I don't like being dragged into stuff. And half of her advice is idiotic anyway! Doesn't she get that I just want to be me?

I wouldn't have met the others, if it weren't for her. If it were just me, I'd have never joined a band, or gotten to see a villa, or attended a rock festival in the mountains. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have gotten to do these things that I've wanted to do; but never, ever, thought I'd get to do …

Get away from me! Don't you interrupt me! No! No! Stay away! _Stay away!_ Stop! Stop it! Oh, I'll show you! I'll show _all of you!_

Oh my God … what have I done? The others are looking at me. The _others_ are screaming, and writhing, and burning. I stare at my own hands … I can't believe that I just did that.

I wouldn't have done that, if I wasn't thinking of _her._ I hope she's okay … she'd better be okay! This is the second time that she's almost left me here, all alone.

It wouldn't be the same with the others. If she's gone … I don't know what I would do. I don't want to think about it! She'd better be okay … she's going to be okay! She's not going to leave me here all alone … I won't allow it!

As long as _she's_ here, I can do this. I can keep going.

I hate this, but if she's here, then the end must be worth it, right?

What's that sound? It sounds like scratching. Like … oh God, here _they_ come! How are they down here? Where are they coming from? Don't stop! Don't stop shooting! Help me! I'm out … I need to reload! Just keep shooting!

My hands won't stop shaking … I … why can't I do this?

No! Get away from me! Stay away! Don't touch me! Let go! Let go! Let go!

I'm free … thank God! I'm free, and I have just enough time … _yes!_ I've done it! Get away from us! _She's_ waiting for us, and you're not getting in our way!

Oh God, that was too close. I can't stop shaking. I have to lean up against this cold, dank, wall and hug myself because I can't stop shaking.

Yeah … I guess I'm okay.

That's a lie, I'm not okay, but I have to keep going. I have to bury this, somehow, and keep going.

Okay … I'm following you. I wish I knew where we were going, though.

I hope you know what you're looking for, Yui. You've given me lots of reasons to doubt you before ... but sometimes, you slip up and you show that you really do know more than you let on.

And you Mugi ... I remember being so scared by your shotgun ... even though I knew you would be the one using it. After _her_, I've got you to thank for keeping me alive. Something's changed about you ... you seem like you're lonely now.

We exchange looks, and you look away without saying a word ... now I'm worried. I remember what _she_ said about Yui, and now you're withdrawing too. I wish you two wouldn't do this to us ... this is hard enough. Holding on is hard enough.

I want to tell _her_ about what I'm seeing, when I get back.

Ritsu ... I hope you're okay back there.

I-I'm sorry ... I've been trying _not_ to think of you directly ... because if I did ... I-I wouldn't be able to think of anything else! Baka Ritsu, you worry me so much.

I hear someone screaming my name. Oh my God! _They're_ pouring out of that subway train, and ... and I'm running. Stop running! Why am I running!

I'm good ... I'm good ... Yui! No! Yui! Hold on! I-I know! I'll throw another one of these ... m-maybe that ... oh God the screaming! That screaming! Stop it, please!

Yui! Oh my God, I'm losing it ... I've got you Yui ... get up, please! Hurry, hurry, _hurry!_ The flames are dying and _they're_ still coming, and … oh God, their screams! Come on. Come on. _Come on!_

Mugi! What are you doing! You can't ... oh Yui! Are you ... can you ... you can? We need to help Mugi! Why are _they_ still coming? When will this end?

I can't give up. I can't let go. I have to fight, and fight, and keep fighting. Oh God, please let it end.

Yui? What are you doing?

That ... wow ... that subway car is ... Yui ...

You're shooing us away from the flames, and into the darkness. I can only follow you ... wait ... please? Mugi's heavy.

I hate this. I hate this ...

I sink to my knees ... I can't go any further, not right now. It's too much ... I need a moment guys. I close my eyes, and I can feel your warm hands on my shoulders. I guess we _all_ need a moment here.

Can we go back to Ritsu yet? I'm tired of being out here. I want to rest. I've had enough of violence and killing and shock for one day. I just want to crawl into a corner and forget about the world for a while.

Okay ... I guess I can go a little further. I can do this for a little longer. I can get up, and I can keep walking. I see smiles all around. Exhausted, faint, smiles ... but they're smiles all the same, and it helps.

One foot in front of the other. One step at a time. One breath at a time. Come on, Mio, _breathe_. You can do this. You _have_ to do this … Ritsu's waiting for you. You can't let her down. You can't let our friends down.

I'm so tired. I don't know how much longer I can do extraordinary things all the time. But I have to keep going. Just a little farther …

Yui? Why are we stopping … what do you see?

Is that … is that a map? Oh my God, that _is_ a map … a map of Tokyo's subway system! But … where are we?

Oh God … there are so many stops … so many lines. Looking at this is scaring me. Can we … maybe go back now? We can figure out where we are later, right? Please?

I can breathe … Mugi agrees with me. Yui seems disappointed, and I wonder what she's thinking. All I can really think about now, though, is that we're going back to somewhere safe. We're coming back to you, Ritsu.

I didn't want to hear scary noises! Not now … please not now. I just want to rest!

I'm good … I can do this. I've got bullets. I've got plenty more of these bottles. I can fight one more fight.

Why are there always so many of _them? _Why? Why? _Whyyyy?_ I hate this! I hate this! I hate that I have to kill so many of you! Stop hurting my friends! _Stop making me kill you!_

What was that noise?

No! Nonononooooo! Something's got me! _Something's got me!_ I'm trying … Oh my God, I can't get it off, I can't get free! Oh my God … Ohmygod …

Help! Anybody!

_**Help!**_

Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod! I can't breathe! I can't breathe, and … no! Let go! Let go! _Let go! _No! I'm off my feet! I'm down!

I-I'm being dragged … I can feel myself being dragged … so helpless … can't breathe … harder to think … I'm going to die … I'm going to … I don't want to die … I don't want to …

Ritsu! Help me!

Ritsuuuu!

Ritsu …

Rii …

…

* * *

><p><span><strong>Author's Notes<strong>**:**  
>- Cliffhanger!<br>- Mio-vision … now only 10% as much fun as Pyrovision … err, I mean Mugi-vision!  
>- Well, she <em>did<em> throw a Molotov at a bunch of zombies, so … maybe it's a little like Pyrovision?  
>- To refresh your memory, Mio's thoughts on Sawako are a callback to her descent into metal madness flashback from the first season. Sawako's ... not Mio's.<br>- Would Mio have ever seen _Neon Genesis Evangelion?_ That's a trick question, of course. That I sprinkled a _NGE_ reference into a _K-ON!_ fanfic totally dates me.  
>- I <em>probably<em> ought to apologize for this bizarre little chapter-ette. The transition from third person to first person stream-of-consciousness and the shift in POV character from Ritsu to Mio were probably quite jarring.  
>- However, I wanted to take a bit of a break from Ritsu, before all the 'fun' that's going to come during this story's endgame.<br>- The next chapter will be back to business-as-usual. Stay tuned!


	22. Chapter 21

**Dead Desperation****:**  
><em>When it's time for desperate measures.<em>

Ritsu woke with a start, her heart racing.

"What," she said, looking around, while trying to make sense of things. Very slowly, memories started to filter into place. This was their saferoom … but where were the others?

Right, they'd gone out for some reason … and Ritsu struggled for a few moments to remember what that reason was.

"Generator," she said. "They went to refuel the generator."

Ritsu crossed her hands behind her head and flopped back onto her makeshift pillow of donated clothes. It wasn't long before she frowned, sitting up again.

"Wonder what time it is," she said. Absentmindedly, she reached into her pocket for her phone, and then she groaned … her phone was both dead, _and_ she'd lost it when Norimi and her friends robbed them blind.

She decided that the time was something she'd just have to do without. Again, she flopped back onto her pillow, staring up at the concrete ceiling. The light was still on, so they must've refilled the generator.

"C'mon guys," Ritsu said. "Hurry up." She pursed her lips, she knew she desperately needed the rest, but more guns meant improved survival.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

"Who's there," Ritsu said, sitting up with a start. The sudden jump in her pulse pushed sharp pain into her skull, and she groaned involuntarily.

"It's me, Ricchan."

"Yui," Ritsu said, pushing herself up to her feet. "You guys are finally back! Let me open the door."

"Yeah," Yui replied, strangely subdued. Ritsu frowned, and then shivered as her bare feet made contact with the cold concrete. She hurried over to the door, unlocking it. As the door swung open, she felt her jaw drop.

"Y-Yui? Where … are the others?"

Yui's lips trembled, just before she clutched her hands together and bowed her head.

"Ri-Ricchan … I … failed."

* * *

><p>"What!" Ritsu said, taking a deep breath. "What are you talking about? What do you mean you 'failed'? And where's Mio? Where's Mugi?"<p>

"I … don't know," Yui replied, her voice barely audible.

"What do you mean 'you don't know?' This isn't funny, Yui-san! Where are the others?" Ritsu said, putting her hands on Yui's shoulders, shaking her forcefully.

"I don't know," Yui repeated, grabbing Ritsu's arms. "I don't know! W-we got hit bad!"

"That's why we've got _guns,_" Ritsu said. "To fight off the goddamned zombies so they _don't _split us up!"

Yui slapped Ritsu's hands off her shoulders.

"We were _totally_ surprised," she said, her voice rising to meet Ritsu's. "I was by myself before I knew it, surrounded by zombies. _Zombies_ Ricchan!"

Ritsu grabbed Yui's shoulders again.

"T-that's no excuse! Was nobody paying attention? Where the hell did you guys get jumped?"

Yui looked like she'd been struck. She looked down.

"The subway," she replied.

"What! Then why didn't I hear anything?"

"I … was looking for … something," Yui said. Ritsu had to lean forward to hear her.

"What were you looking for? _Cake?_" Ritsu said, the words bypassing her brain. "I'll tell you what … the cake is a lie! It's only goddamned zombies, zombies, and zombies … all the way down!"

Ritsu found herself stumbling back as Yui shoved her.

"That was just uncalled for, Ricchan," Yui said. "I-I know when it's the right time for cake!"

"F-for you, that's _all the time_," Ritsu replied, stomping up to Yui. "D-did you even _try_ to look for them?" She said her voice nearly a shriek. The inside of her head felt tighter and tighter, and the growing pain only heightened her emotions.

"L-like you guys l-looked for Azu-nyan? Or … or … or Ui?" Yui said, her eyes drilling into Ritsu's. Her head snapped to one side as she looked away. "I-I got lost! I didn't see anything I knew till I got near here!"

"W-we were in that area for a _long_ time," Ritsu replied. "We had _plenty _of chances to find Azusa and Ui! A-and maybe if you told us sooner about what you'd seen … we … we would've gotten away from Norimi and that _friend_ of yours and looked harder!"

She turned away from Yui, snatching a pair of revolvers off a table, and a flashlight."

"Ricchan … "

Ritsu ignored Yui, instead bending down to pull on her shoes. All she had was a pair of shorts and a tank-top, but she barely noticed.

"Shut it," she said, pushing her way past Yui. "I'm going to go look for our friends!"

"Ricchan!"

"What do you _want_, Yui-san?"

"Y-you should stop being so scary!"

Ritsu turned back on Yui.

"I'm _scared_, not scary," she replied. "Scared that my two best friends are … are … are … "

Suddenly, she found herself in Yui's arms, not knowing if Yui was just that fast, or if something else had happened.

"M-Mio-chan and Mugi-chan are my best friends _too,_" Yui said. "And you're my best friend, Ricchan," she added, sniffling. "Even … even when you're being mean to me."

Ritsu found that her towering anger was completely gone. Only sharp, jagged, pain was left. A pain that scintillated and throbbed with each heartbeat, and that ebbed and flowed with each breath. She whimpered.

"There, there, Ricchan," Yui said, speaking with a wavering voice, and stroking Ritsu's hair with trembling fingertips. "I-I think if I … retraced my steps … we could get to where I lost Mugi-chan and M-Mio-chan."

"I," Ritsu started to say, forcing herself to breathe deeply. "Okay … okay," she said. "I'm good … I'm okay." She smiled very weakly. "I just … I don't know what got into me there."

"It's okay," Yui murmured. "You're just worried, and … I dunno … maybe it's getting to us."

"Happy thoughts," Ritsu replied sharply. "Happy thoughts," she repeated, her voice softening. "I'm not crazy yet," she added, exhaling. Her headache receded to something tolerable. "Yui … let's go find our friends."

* * *

><p>"What was it you … were looking for," Ritsu said, leaning up against a wall to catch her breath. Every time she breathed, it hurt. Every time she took a step, it hurt. Every time she accidentally glanced into a flashlight, it hurt.<p>

Yui reached into her pack and took out a large, folded, piece of paper.

"This," she said. As she unfolded it, Ritsu's breath caught in her throat.

"Is … that a subway map?"

"Yeah," Yui replied.

Ritsu glanced over the map, and it made her head hurt. Tokyo's subway system dwarfed the rail system back home. The thought made her look away again, shutting her eyes tightly.

_Can't think about that …. can't think about that … can't think about that._

"You okay, Ricchan?"

"I'm fine … I'm fine," Ritsu said, gesturing with her hand. "Really."

After a few moments, she pushed herself off the wall, and they resumed walking. Ritsu eyed Yui, who looked _very _focused.

"Hey Ricchan," Yui said, not looking up.

"Yeah?"

"You ever think about what might've been if … y'know?"

Ritsu swallowed. "No … zombies?"

"Yeah," Yui replied. "Like … like, how you and Mio-chan would've done as Romeo and Juliet, or how our last concert would've gone, or all the yummy … "

"Yui," Ritsu said, reaching up to rub her temples. "Is now _really _the best time?"

"I was just curious," Yui replied.

"T-that isn't … isn't important to me," Ritsu said, gritting her teeth. "What's … what's important is finding Mio and Mugi. So, let's not get distracted from that, okay?"

"Okay, Ricchan," Yui replied.

A couple minutes later, Ritsu found that she was kicking herself.

_Weren't you worried a few days ago that Yui was withdrawing from everyone?_ She thought, staring at the back of Yui's head. _Yet, here's the first time she's opening up … and here you are telling her to shut up._

"Ugh," Ritsu groaned. "Why does everything have to be so hard?"

"Eh, Ricchan?"

Ritsu's mouth snapped shut, and she felt her cheeks warming.

"Sorry," she finally replied. "S-say, are we getting any closer yet?"

Yui pursed her lips thoughtfully.

"I think so," she said. She panned her flashlight, and the light glinted off pools of coagulating blood, and dead zombies.

"I hope they found somewhere to stay put," Ritsu said, frowning while suddenly remembering Mio's panicked flight that separated her and Ritsu from the others.

"Yeah," Yui replied, looking back down.

"Hey Yui," Ritsu said, feeling sudden butterflies.

"Yeah Ricchan?"

"I'm … I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier."

"Eh, it's okay," Yui replied. Her tone was amazingly subdued.

"I … I guess it really is starting to get to me," Ritsu said. "It's just … well, to answer your question," she continued. "I-I don't. Well, I try not to. If I did … it would hurt too much."

"Ricchan is Ricchan," Yui replied, after a few moments. "I do … and I like to think about what we're gonna do when this is all over."

Ritsu bit her lip. "Aren't you the optimist."

"There's no way this can go on forever," Yui replied.

"Totally true," Ritsu said, only she knew she didn't mean it in the same way that Yui meant it. She was … pretty sure she was dying. It was something she never, ever, thought she'd have to think about. But, here she was.

"H-hold up," she said, leaning against a wall. "I need … I need a moment to catch my breath."

Yui looked back at Ritsu, a little frown on her lips.

"Ricchan doesn't look too good."

"I have … seriously felt better," Ritsu replied, after a few moments.

"I-I can find Mugi-chan and Mio-chan … on my own," Yui said.

Ritsu waved her off.

"Don't worry, don't worry … I'm not done yet," she said, but her voice wavered, and her tone was unsteady.

Yui's eyes bored into Ritsu's. Ritsu stared back at Yui, but then she slid down the wall, burying her face between her knees.

"Ricchan!"

"Yui," Ritsu finally said. "Listen to me … I'm gonna _die_. I-I can feel it."

"Ricchan," Yui echoed. "D-don't say things like that!"

"Don't this beat all," Ritsu said, the realization hitting her. She hugged her knees tightly. "I'm gonna die … I'm gonna die."

"Ricchan," Yui's hand was on Ritsu's shoulder.

"I'm gonna die," Ritsu repeated. "I'm gonna be like … S-Satoshi, and Sumire, and N-Nodoka, and Jun … and … and Azusa and U-Ui," she said, sliding down further, curled up.

Yui knelt by Ritsu, rubbing her shoulder.

"R-Ricchan is gonna be fine," she said. "S-she's gonna be just fine. And … and s-so are Ui and Azu-nyan."

"N-no, I'm not," Ritsu said. "A-and Ui and Azusa are … d-dead …"

"J-just because we couldn't find them doesn't mean … "

"No," Ritsu replied. She was beyond the point of caring. "O-One of Kanbara-san's friends … she told me. They're both dead … I'm sorry Yui-chan … I'm sorry … "

"Ricchan … "

Ritsu moaned. "Sorry I didn't say anything before … you just looked like … "

* * *

><p>Ritsu found herself drifting back to consciousness. Everything still hurt, so it took her a few moments to realize that her head was on something warm, and soft.<p>

"Eh," she said, her eyes fluttering open.

"Hey Ricchan," Yui said, looking down on Ritsu. "Y-you gave me a little scare there."

"Y-you're still here, Yui," Ritsu replied, trying to think.

"I dunno why I wouldn't," Yui said.

"I … ugh … I can think of a reason," Ritsu replied.

"Ricchan's gonna be fine," Yui said, taking a moment to shift her legs.

"Not … that."

"I know," Yui replied. She blinked, and then held Ritsu's gaze. "Did you know that … I love you all?"

"What," Ritsu said, trying to sit up. The effort only caused a spike of pain through the center of her skull and a wave of sudden, nauseating, dizziness. Her head sagged back into Yui's lap.

"I'm totally serious," Yui replied. "I love everyone in the Light Music Club," she added, her gaze becoming unfocused. "I dunno … I've been thinking about it a lot, lately."

"W-whyfor?"

"Well, 'cause I thought that Nori-chan and Tomo-chan and their friends were so _cool_ … and then they … they weren't so cool after all, and then I had to think about _that_."

"Oh," Ritsu replied, at a loss for words. "W-well, what about Kanbara-san … and his friends? They seemed … all right."

"I dunno," Yui said. "They've got their own reasons … and I dunno if their reasons are our reasons. I dunno if that makes any sense."

"Yui," Ritsu said, looking up.

"So I had to think about everything I have," Yui said. "And … and I realized that what I have is you guys. And then I remembered that I've _always_ had you guys. All the way from the beginning!"

"Yui," Ritsu echoed, closing her eyes.

"I guess … I've always loved you guys," Yui said. "But now, I love you guys _even more_."

"Even … even after what I said," Ritsu replied, after many moments.

"Uh huh," Yui said. "Well ... you _did _give me a little time to think about it. You were trying to be all responsible and leader-y, I guess."

"Oh Yui," Ritsu squeezed her eyes tightly shut, trying not to cry again. "I-Is there _anything_ that gets you down?"

"Well … not for long," Yui replied. "I mean … I dunno … it's hard to explain."

"If only … I had your optimism, Yui-san," Ritsu finally said. She felt wetness out of the corners of her eyes, and she trembled. She didn't know if Yui had really _absorbed _her revelation yet, or if Yui really understood just how badly she was doing.

"There, there, Ricchan," Yui said. "As long as we stick together, we'll be just fine."

"Don't know," Ritsu replied. Everything hurt, and she knew Mio and Mugi were out there, but it was so hard to motivate herself into moving again. Even the panic she first felt, when Yui came back alone … that felt like it'd happened forever ago.

Even the terror that came from the knowledge that she was going to die … somehow, that too was fading. If she was going to go, there was one last thing she wanted to know.

"Say Yui," she said. "I-I gotta know this. Did … did anything ever happen … y'know, between you … and Toyosaki-san?"

"Nuh uh," Yui replied. Ritsu's eyes snapped open. Was she shocked at how quickly, and how naturally, Yui answered that question?

"Is that so?"

"Absolutely," Yui replied. "I don't think of things like that."

"Eh," Ritsu said, raising her eyebrows. "B-but, you were always so … umm ... cozy with Azusa."

"That's different," Yui replied. "It's so _fun_ to charge up on my kitty's energy … but … I dunno … it's the same vibe I get from trying a tasty new food, or snuggling under a kotatsu in the winter, or having tea with you guys." Her cheeks colored. "It's not exciting in the way that … like … rocking out with Gitah is!"

Ritsu had a momentary mental image, and she started to laugh.

"Wh-what is it, Ricchan?"

"I-it's just a … really funny visual … you and Gitah."

Yui quickly shook her head.

"Nuh uh! I-it's not like that! It's totally not the same vibe as like … like … the one you and Mio-chan give off sometimes."

_Mio!_

"See," Yui said. "I totally felt that, just now!"

"F-felt what?"

"You jumped when I mentioned you and Mio-chan," Yui replied.

"S-she's just my best friend," Ritsu said, feeling her own cheeks start to warm.

"Are you _sure,_" Yui replied, leaning over, drawing out her last word.

"I … " Ritsu said, pressing her lips together. The fear of not knowing were Mio, or Mugi, was; was starting to come back to her.

"Well … we should get you up, Ricchan," Yui said, after a moment. "T-they're still out there and … if we stay here any longer … I'm gonna forget where we got split up."

"Y-yeah," Ritsu replied, struggling to sit up. "I know … how your mind works, Yui. I … guess I ain't ready to lay down yet after all."

"That's the spirit, Ricchan! You just keep going a-and you'll be fine."

_Will I really?_ Ritsu thought. _I don't know_.

As she rose to her feet, sudden dizziness forced her to lean against the wall. She stared into the fuzzy darkness, frowning.

_Can't … give up yet. Gotta find Mugi … gotta find Mio. Gotta find Mio ..._

"Okay ... okay ... I can do this," she said. "Yui ... "

"Ricchan?"

"Thanks ... for the talk," Ritsu replied. "I really do ... feel better now."

* * *

><p>"These subway tunnels ... they go on for <em>miles<em>," Ritsu said, gasping.

"Uh huh," Yui replied. Ritsu didn't like the mischievous look on her face. "All the way to ... " Yui paused, looking back at Ritsu. "Where ... I cannot yet say, squad member Ricchan."

"Oh ... come on! Gimme a hint?"

"Nuh uh," Yui replied, shaking her head. "Mio-chan ... Mugi-chan, Ricchan. We gotta find them!"

"Right," Ritsu said, trailing after Yui. She was beginning to wonder if Yui actually knew where she was going. Sure, they ran into other shot zombies ... but Mio and Mugi were still nowhere to be found.

Her mind was spinning, and that wasn't doing her head any favors.

_What the hell did you mean, Yui? The vibe Mio and I give off? C'mon! What gives? _

_Still, the thought of you and that guitar ... now I see why you brought him along._

Ritsu smirked, and tried not to giggle.

"Ricchan!"

"I'm sorr ... "

Ritsu heard a scream and started to turn. Then, she found herself on the ground with a zombie wearing a hoodie straddling her. The zombie snarled, blood-stained lips drawn back to reveal blackened teeth.

Suddenly, Ritsu's world exploded, and she screamed.

When she opened her eyes again, she saw Yui standing over her, clutching her rifle with a white-knuckled grip. A wisp of smoke rose from the muzzle.

"Ricchan!"

"I ... oh God ... so goddamn stupid," Ritsu mumbled, pulling herself out from under the dead zombie. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!"

Yui started to kneel beside Ritsu, but Ritsu waved her off.

"I'm ... okay," she said, trying to catch her breath. "You got him ... before he could lay into me."

"Gotta keep moving, Ricchan ... _moving_," Yui said, her eyes darting back and forth. Ritsu nodded, struggling to her feet. That was _bound_ to draw attention.

As soon as she had her feet under her, she was already stumbling to catch up with Yui. She eyed her friend critically ... there was something of Yui's old energy there. In another time, she'd have felt relieved ... but she knew better now.

Maybe.

No, not really. She really needed a ... a _girly_ perspective on this. She pressed her lips together, as a name immediately came to mind. Who she needed was _Mio._

Huh.

Her head throbbed with the effort of thinking, and she stumbled as the world threatened to start spinning.

"Yui ... Yui ... I'm limping as fast as I can here!"

"Ricchan," Yui replied, not looking back. "You've gotta keep up ... I-I think I'm getting hotter here!"

"Of ... of course," Ritsu gasped. She nearly tripped over a dead body, and then she stumbled badly as her foot slipped through a pool of blood. She managed a couple more steps, and then landed _hard_ on her knee.

"Yui!"

Yui turned back in an instant, her mouth an 'o'.

"Ricchan!" She said, hurrying back. "C-can you get up?"

"I'll t-try," Ritsu replied, gritting her teeth. "Great ... just great, another thing wrong with me!"

Yui threw her arm around Ritsu's shoulder.

"I got you, Ricchan!"

"I ... thanks," Ritsu said, pulling herself up while leaning heavily on Yui. Her knee protested as she tried to put her weight on it, but it didn't give way.

"Okay ... okay, not done yet," she said. "Oh ... goddamn it!"

Her flashlight beam danced wildly in the darkness, and bobbing points of yellow light were thrown back at her. The zombies screamed, shuffling toward Ritsu and Yui.

Ritsu shrugged off Yui, bringing up her rifle. It thundered to life, the noise and light driving right through her skull. Yet, zombies were dropping as she and Yui fired into the horde.

She stumbled, sinking to her knees. She let her rifle drop to her side, pulling out one revolver, and then the other. The noise they made still hurt, but the pain was just bearable.

And then, it was over. Ritsu was gasping for breath, trembling as she stared at the dead zombies.

"Was it a-always this bad," she said, rising shakily to her feet. "Aww c'mon!"

"Hurry, Ricchan!" Yui said, already taking off.

* * *

><p>"Goddamn, it looks like a massacre here," Ritsu said, playing her flashlight over another scene of carnage. Spent brass glinted in the light, between pools of blood, and the yellow eye-glow of dead zombies.<p>

"I-I … think this is the place," Yui said. She seemed subdued again, Ritsu thought.

"You sure," Ritsu replied. "Because it looks like … you guys went out of your way to run into _every horde of zombies in Tokyo_."

"There's _way_ more zombies in Tokyo, Ricchan," Yui said, shaking her head.

"Ugh," Ritsu replied. "Don't even. S-so you're sure this is the spot?"

"Yeah," Yui replied, pursing her lips into a little frown.

"O-okay," Ritsu said, hesitantly pointing her flashlight beam down at the scattered dead.

"Ricchan … "

"I … just want to … rule out the obvious," Ritsu replied, swallowing. _God, Mio, please don't be here._

"C'mon guys … don't be here," she said, her voice soft. "P-please don't be here."

"Mio-chan! Mugi-chan!"

Ritsu jumped when Yui shouted.

"Gah! W-what are you doing!"

"S-searching, Ricchan," Yui replied. "I-I'm sure they're not … down there," she added, gesturing vaguely toward the ground.

"I know," Ritsu said, after a few moments. "I-I just … gotta make sure."

Her flashlight beam played up and down the subway platform, and then down onto the tracks. As she made her way to the edge, she gasped.

"No … " she said, trembling. "No," she repeated, staring hard. She had several bodies in her beam … and one of them had long, dark hair. Carefully, she sat down on the edge of the platform, dropping down onto the tracks.

"P-please," she murmured, approaching the bodies. The one with the dark hair was lying face-down … and looked to be female, tall, and _not_ shot.

"D-don't be you … don't be you … don't be you," Ritsu said, nudging the body with her foot. She swallowed, pushing it over …

* * *

><p>"Ricchan!" Yui said, hearing Ritsu scream. She appeared at the edge of the platform, seemingly in an instant.<p>

"I-I," Ritsu said, staring down at the body of a long-haired woman lying face-up. Her eyes glowed yellow in the beam of Ritsu's flashlight.

"You okay, Ricchan," Yui said jumping down onto the tracks.

"I … yeah … I'm good," Ritsu said, putting her hand over her chest. "I-I just gave myself a good scare there."

"Why would you think that's Mio-chan," Yui said. "She's not gonna be like this."

Ritsu pressed her lips together.

"Right," she replied. "You're right," she said, after a moment. "Totally right … they've gotta be alive."

_I hope_, she thought. _I … God, I need to calm down._ She backed away from the dead zombies. She stiffened as she felt Yui wrap her arms around her.

"I gotcha, Ricchan," Yui said.

"T-thanks," Ritsu replied, leaning heavily against Yui. Her heart hammered the inside of her chest, and she tried desperately to make it stop.

"What are you gonna do, Ricchan?"

"Eh?"

"About Mio-chan," Yui replied.

"T-that again," Ritsu said. "S-she's … umm … she's just my best f-friend from childhood. I … don't know what you're thinking."

"Ricchan's forgotten already!" Yui said.

"Right … right, you're hot for Gitah," Ritsu replied, trying to smirk.

"Nuh uh," Yui replied. "Well, I _do _love Gitah. I also love you all. I love tasty tea and cakes too."

"I know, I know," Ritsu said. "You don't think of … things like 'that'. I _do_ remember stuff Yui-san. Even now … can you give me a leg up?"

"You sure," Yui replied. "There _is_ a ladder over there … "

"Oh come on!"

They were back on the platform after a minute. Ritsu rubbed her temple, even though it didn't help the pain, or the dizziness.

"Hey Yui?"

"Yeah, Ricchan?"

"I … I've got another question?"

"Okay!"

"You … so you don't think of," she paused, trying to think of a good euphemism. She quickly gave up. "Of ecchi things. But you were … always all over Azusa. So … I don't get it?"

"We should talk more about you and Mio-chan," Yui replied, tugging at the bottom of her shirt, straightening it out.

"Denied," Ritsu said, scanning the subway tunnel. "You and Azusa, Yui-san."

"Well … " Yui replied, looking down. "It was a-always so much fun to make Azu-nyan squirm … 'cause it was always so _cute_ when she did it."

"Cute, huh?"

"Totally," Yui replied. "But … y'know … she was always totally cool with it … in her Azu-nyan way."

"Is that so," Ritsu said. She closed her eyes, trying to think back. "Yeah," she said, after a few moments. "Guess … you've got a point. S-she never protested _that_ hard … did she?"

"N-nope," Yui replied. Ritsu's eyes snapped open when she caught Yui's tone. "N-not at all," Yui said, looking down at the ground. Her voice seemed to be caught in her throat.

"Yui … "

Yui looked up at Ritsu and sniffled. Tears coursed down her cheeks.

Ritsu dropped her face into her palm.

_Stupid … stupid … stupid!_

"Oh … God … I'm sorry, Yui," she said. _God, I feel like such a jerk now!_

"I-it's okay," Yui replied, sniffling.

"I'm sorry," Ritsu said frozen in place. She bit her lip, and forced herself into motion, throwing her arms around Yui.

"I-I always … imagined I was," Yui sniffled, rubbing her nose on Ritsu's shirt. "K-keeping a daily diary for Az … Azu-nyan. Because there were always c-cool things that I couldn't wait to tell her about."

Ritsu squeezed Yui.

"A-and … I guess now … I'll never get the chance."

"God, I'm sorry Yui," Ritsu replied. "I just … told you she was … and now we're …"

"Not your fault," Yui sniffled. "R-Ricchan's direct. R-Ricchan just _does_ things."

"Y-you're making me sound like … an insensitive jerk."

"Nuh uh," Yui replied, her face buried in Ritsu's shoulder. "I-If it weren't for squad-member Ricchan, I'd," Yui trailed off, sniffling loudly. "I'd totally be a z-zombie by now."

"Well, you're not," Ritsu replied, feeling Yui shake. The shame burned her, but there was something else. What would she do … if Mio really were …

_Look what you've done to me, Yui! N-now you've got me obsessing over Mio!_

She squeezed Yui for all she was worth. She had to stop thinking about that!

"Hurts, Ricchan," Yui murmured.

"S-sorry," Ritsu stiffened, her arms going slack.

"I-I'm fine," Yui said, sniffling. She wiped her nose. "T-totally good."

"Yui."

"I'm cool," Yui said, but her voice sounded strangely hollow. "But we gotta find Mugi-chan … and Mio-chan," she said, a moment later. The hollowness was gone, but Ritsu still thought she heard a certain sadness in Yui's voice.

"Yeah," she replied, as both girls stepped back.

_Please be waiting for me, Mio._ She thought. _I don't know how much more of this I can take._

* * *

><p>"Mugi!"<p>

"Mio-chan!"

"Mio!"

"Mugi-chan!"

Flashlight beams played back and forth along floors and walls.

"Mugi! Miooooo!"

Ritsu and Yui made their way down blackened tunnels, their pace slow and uncertain. Ritsu had no clue how long they'd been looking, but she prayed it hadn't been anywhere near as long as it felt.

"C'mon guys," she yelled. "It's safe to come out now!"

All she heard in reply was her own echoing voice, and her own pounding pulse. All she could feel was her own rising despair, and the throbbing pain inside her skull.

"C'mon Mio," she repeated, softly. "Don't you let me down now."

"Ricchan! Over here!"

"What is it?" Ritsu replied, looking over to Yui. She had her flashlight trained on a well-barricaded door.

"I hear scratching," Yui replied.

Ritsu hurried over, putting her ear to the door. She squeaked in surprise when she felt the door vibrate.

"M-Mio? M-Mugi?"

There was a pause, and then she could hear renewed scratching and knocking.

"Is that you guys," Ritsu said, louder. There was another pause, and then the knocking came back, much louder.

"Okay … okay," she replied. "Calm down. W-we'll get you out of there … just … " Ritsu paused, the door seemed to be firmly locked.

"Weird," she said. "Why is the door locked?"

She could only hear scratching on the other side, and she made an unhappy noise.

_WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!_

Ritsu screamed, tumbling backward. The, seemingly solid, door seemed to shake under the assault.

_BAM!_

The door exploded outward, and Ritsu saw a horrible visage of unnaturally green-gray skin with one limp, useless, arm and one huge, muscle-bound arm. Behind the charger, there were a _lot _of glowing yellow eyes.

"Yui!" Ritsu screamed. The charger lunged toward her swinging its meaty arm. The oversized fist whistled past Ritsu's ear, brushing the fabric of her top. She screamed, trying to roll away. Somewhere off to her side, she heard the explosive crackle of gunfire.

Ritsu squeaked as the charger got a fist-full of her shirt, yanking her back. She clutched at her collar, blindly kicking with her feet. The charger snarled with incoherent anger, dragging her back, its sheer strength driving Ritsu's knuckles into her throat.

Then she fell forward, slamming nose-first into her forearm.

"Ricchan! Help me!"

"Yui!" Ritsu screamed, rolling onto her back. Zombies swarmed out of the ruined doorway. She kicked out, feeling her feet impacting with flesh. Somehow, she got a gun free, frantically discharging it into the horde.

She only had five shots, and then she was struggling to fish more bullets out of her pocket, as the zombies started kicking at her.

_Rifle!_

Ritsu grasped desperately at the rifle at her side, trying to yank it free of stomping zombie feet; while trying to roll and kick and twist … anything to keep them from overwhelming her.

Blood and ichor splashed her, as zombies started dropping. She yanked her rifle free, and her lips pulled back into a feral grimace as she emptied her magazine into the rest.

She lay there, staring up. Bright spots danced across her vision as her head pounded savagely, and her ears rang.

"Ricchan!" Yui said, dropping by Ritsu's side.

"Ugh … guess we know … why that door was locked."

"A-are you hurt?"

Ritsu tentatively flexed her legs.

"Got … lucky," she replied, trying to sit up. "Who the _hell_ would lock a whole bunch of zombies in a closet?"

"M-maybe they didn't have guns," Yui replied.

"Yeah … good point," Ritsu said. She tried not to think about how one might've gotten that many zombies into one place. After she got to her feet, she quickly reloaded her guns. "Can't take many more surprises like that," she said.

"I-it was like that all day," Yui said, muted.

"God _damn_ it … this subway's a death-trap, isn't it?" Ritsu took one deep breath, and then another. She felt herself starting to tear up again. "Yui-chan … w-we might have to admit that … that … "

"D-don't say that, Ricchan!" Yui said. "W-we'll find them! A-and they'll be fine!"

"Yui," Ritsu replied desperately. She felt weak on her feet.

"J-just a little more, Ricchan," Yui said. "A l-little more!"

"Yui," Ritsu repeated, closing her eyes. She saw Mugi and Mio looking back at her in the darkness.

"Okay … okay," she said. "We'll search for a little longer. Our friends are worth it."

* * *

><p>Ritsu wiped her mouth, wiped her hand on her shirt, and then hunched down. The odor was <em>revolting<em> … they'd checked a bathroom, only to discover that a whole bunch of people had been herded into it … and shot.

"I-I don't think any of these people … were zombies," Yui said, wide eyed.

Ritsu nodded. The dead looked like they'd cared about how they looked. She glanced in the mirror, taking a moment to adjust her bandana. Even as bad as she was doing, she didn't think she'd ever let herself go as badly as the zombies did.

"Wonder why they died," Yui murmured. "It … it's just not … cool."

Ritsu pursed her lips, not liking the first few answers to come to mind.

"L-let's just get out of here and keep looking," she replied. Yui nodded quickly. They emerged back into the subway, which honestly, did not smell any better. Ritsu wasn't sure why they'd ventured this far … apart from a few dead zombies.

"Mio," she whispered. "Mugi … you guys are really scaring me now. I-if you're not dead … where are you?"

"Did you say something, Ricchan?"

Ritsu shook her head.

"Nope," she replied. "L-let's check out these other doors."

Neither of them was pushing their luck by yelling. It was bad enough running into the random, agitated, zombies who were attracted by their gunfire. It made for slow going, to the point that Ritsu had to force herself to press on … in the face of vanishing hope.

"C-c'mon guys," she said. "It c-can't be just me … and Yui. We've gotta get out of this … together. Together … or we're screwed."

_I don't wanna die here alone, Mio … you hear me?_

Ritsu stopped, squeezing her eyes shut. She sternly told herself not to cry. She wasn't going to cry.

"Ricchan," she heard Yui say. She opened her eyes, and saw Yui gesturing toward what looked like a janitor's closet. The door was closed.

"R-right," she said. "One more door." She made her way up to it, and then very, very carefully, tried the doorknob.

"Weird … it's locked," she muttered. She then took a step back, and knocked firmly. Once … twice … three times. Then, she jumped back, already bringing her rifle up.

Silence.

She firmly knocked on the door again, three more times.

More silence.

"O-okay," she finally said. "Guess … we found the only broom closet … locked before the zombie apocalypse." Ritsu exhaled sharply, trying to fend off both her growing nausea, and her all-consuming despair. "C'mon, Yui … I think it's time we … "

"I heard something, Ricchan," Yui said.

"What," Ritsu replied, unable to hide the bitter exhaustion in her voice. "Scratching?"

"Nuh uh," Yui replied. "I-I think someone's in there."

"I think," Ritsu said, looking away, "that … maybe you're just hearing things … because I heard nothing."

"Ricchan … one last time, okay?"

"Yeah, fine," Ritsu replied. "B-but this … is gonna have to be it."

She stepped back up to the door, took a deep breath, and knocked for the last time.

She heard nothing, except for her own breathing. She closed her eyes, resting her forehead against the door.

" _... R-Ritsu ... "_

She screamed, jumping back.

"D-did you hear that ... Y-Yui?"

Yui nodded quickly, and Ritsu bit her lip.

"W-who's in there ... the door is locked. C-Can you open it?"

She waited, her heart racing.

_Click._

Ritsu reached down, taking the doorknob with a shaky hand. She tried to turn it, but it slipped out of her reach. She bit back a curse as she tried again. And then, just like that, the door was open.

"It ... it's," she started to say, dropping to her knees. Yui's flashlight beam illuminated the inside of the closet, and Ritsu struggled to blink back her tears.

"Mugi ... chan," Yui said. And it was. Mugi stared up at them, her blue eyes wide and bloodshot.

"Y-Yui," Mugi replied, her voice hoarse. "R-Ricchan." She clutched someone to her ... someone with long, black hair.

"Mugi," Ritsu said, but her eyes weren't on Mugi's.

"M-Mio?" She said, slowly reaching out to touch Mio's shoulder. Mio didn't move.

"Mioooo," Ritsu repeated, squeezing Mio's shoulder. "I-I made it ... I'm here."

"C'mon ... Mio ... "

She pinched Mio's cheek, her fingers trembling. She closed her eyes, feeling them burn. Her hand fell into her lap.

"Miooooooooo!"

She felt the barest touch on her hand. Her eyes opened, and she could only see the world though a haze of tears ... but ... she found herself looking into a pair of grey eyes.

"Ritsu," Mio whispered.

"M-Mio," Ritsu repeated.

"R-Ritsu," Mio mouthed. "You're ... here," she whispered, and then she swallowed hard. Her neck was ringed with angry bruises.

"O-of course I am," Ritsu clutched Mio's hand in her own. "Of course I-I'd come. W-we're a ... team ... after all," she said, squeezing tightly. "Y-you ... and ... I."

* * *

><p><span><strong>Author's Notes<strong>**:**  
>- I've been on a writing tear lately, with respect to this story. If you've read this far, thanks a bunch! Leave reviews!<br>- I originally didn't mean for this chapter to be so Yui-centric. But, given that it's just Yui and Ritsu in this chapter, and they're always natural foils for each other; it was only natural that she'd end up with a lot of "screen time" here.  
>- Yui's usually not easy to write dialogue for. She is a fool, but by the standards of <em>K-ON! <em>she's a Shakespearean fool, because as the series progresses, she seems to be in on the joke ... but she goes along with it anyway because it amuses her to do so.  
>- Survivor closet!<br>- I wrote this chapter with four possible endings. One where Ritsu died in Yui's arms. Another had Mio surviving, but Mugi dying. The third was like the ending that's getting published ... only Mio's dead. However, I felt that this ending had the most emotional impact.  
>- My plans for this story are to either do one more short chapter, like the Mio chapter, plus the finale ... or to go to the finale and wrap everything up with a short epilogue. Either way, this (looks back) extremely long literary journey is nearly over.<br>- Thanks for reading! See you next chapter!


	23. Chapter 22

**Dead Eyes****:**  
><em>They're watching you.<em>

"Azu-nyan … love," Ritsu murmured, reading one of the scribbles on a well-marked subway map.

"Oh, Yui," she said, running her fingertip over the doodles and scribbles that adorned the map. Azusa, and Ui, figured heavily in them. "God, I'm sorry," she repeated, feeling guilty for the umpteenth time.

Yui was asleep, her body covering much of the map, and with a pen clutched in her hand. After they'd half-supported, half-dragged, Mugi and Mio back to their shelter, Yui had fallen silent again. She'd told them she was planning … something, but it wasn't ready yet.

"I'm so stupid," Ritsu whispered. If she hadn't been feeling so sorry for herself, she'd have kept her mouth shut, and waited until they were in a less-precarious spot before telling Yui the truth about Azusa and Ui.

Yui moaned. Ritsu lurched back, looking up at the ceiling. Yui lifted her head, blinking groggily.

"Eh," she said, looking around. "Ricchan!"

Yui was suddenly awake, frantically gathering up her map and her papers, before turning to face Ritsu.

"D-did you see anything?"

Ritsu pressed her lips together.

"Nope," she lied.

Yui's eyes gazed into hers. She then looked back down.

"Okay … good."

"You've … uh … you've been pretty quiet the last few days," Ritsu said, crossing her arms behind her head.

"I'm sorry, Ricchan," Yui replied. "Just been thinking … about stuff."

"What kind of stuff?"

Yui held out a hand.

"That's _classified_, squad member Ricchan."

Ritsu stepped forward.

"Is that so?"

"Absolutely!"

Ritsu made an unhappy noise. "Yui-chaaaan," she said … it was worth a try.

"It's not ready yet," Yui said, shaking her head.

"What … _what's_ not ready?"

"What I'm working on, Ricchan," Yui replied. "It's still a secret … and you're getting nothing out of me."

"Well," Ritsu said. "M-maybe I'll find some cake today … m-maybe that'll change your mind."

"Nope," Yui replied. "Not at all," she added, looking down and away. "I gotta do this Ricchan … please?"

Ritsu frowned at Yui's sudden change in tone.

"Okay … okay. I'm … uh … gonna check on the others now," she said. "I-I guess I'll let you get back to work."

Yui flashed a brief 'peace' sign.

"Thanks, Ricchan."

* * *

><p>Ritsu knelt down by Mio, brushing some stray hair from her face. Mio murmured something, turning away. Ritsu sighed. Mio's voice <em>still<em> sounded hoarse and weak … she'd barely been able to speak above a whisper since her rescue.

"Goddamned zombies," Ritsu whispered, clenching her fists. Mio's neck was still badly bruised where a smoker had nearly strangled her.

"God … _damn_ zombies," she repeated. Her head started to hurt, and she closed her eyes for a few moments. When she opened them again, she looked over Mio and smiled.

"You're so beautiful, Mio-chan," she whispered, and then laughed softly. Was _that_ the vibe that Yui was talking about?

"I owe you, Yui-san," she said, rising to her feet. "You're _so_ gonna get it for making this so … so … _complicated._"

"Ricchan," a voice behind her said. Ritsu turned, to find a pair of blue eyes staring into her own.

"M-Mugi … good morning," Ritsu replied.

Mugi nodded.

"I'm making tea," she announced. "But we're going to have to refuel the generator today … the batteries are dying."

"Okay," Ritsu replied. "It's … uh, you and I today, right?"

"Mhm," Mugi replied. It'd been their ritual for the last … week, was it? Every day or two, a pair of them would make the long trek to the generator, while a pair rested in the saferoom. Straight up, and straight back … no diversions. Don't give the zombies a chance to catch them out.

They all needed the break, Ritsu especially. It helped … a little, but something was _really, __**really,**_wrong with her head.

She groaned, it would be tea time in a minute.

* * *

><p>The girls sat around a lantern, sipping tea from paper cups.<p>

_This is weird._ Ritsu thought. They'd spent so long trying to escape zombies that she'd almost forgotten what it was like to do 'normal' things.

_Nope, still weird_. That was the next thought she had. Nobody really had anything to say. Mio tended to rock a little, her eyes shifting from shadow to shadow. Yui preferred to spend her time with her maps and her papers, and so she tended to throw back her tea like a salaryman might throw back his first coffee of the day.

Her eyes came to rest on Mugi. They shared a glance, and then Mugi looked away. It was … tense … since that other day, and Ritsu had an inkling that it was likely her fault.

_That wasn't brilliant of me, was it? Mugi was every bit as hurt as Mio … and what did I do?_

Ritsu sighed into her cup, closing her eyes. It took her and Yui some time to extract the whole story; but somehow, Mugi managed to save Mio from the smoker and fight off an entire horde. This was _after_ she'd run out of bullets.

And she'd done it, even though she wasn't even _sure_ that Mio was still _alive_!

Mugi deserved better than what she got. Ritsu knew that much, and she was sure that was why things had gotten awkward between them.

"Gotta fix this," she whispered, sipping her tea. She frowned. It was bitter tea, and she wondered if that was some kind of omen.

"Great tea, Mugi-chan," Yui said, setting down her cup. "Thanks!"

"You're welcome, Yui-chan," Mugi replied, slowly taking Yui's cup. She looked up, as if to ask Yui if she wanted more … but Yui was already scooting back from their sad little circle.

_What do I do?_ Ritsu thought. _Do I ask for more tea? Maybe I should._

She started to open her mouth, but Mugi already stood up, taking the pot with her. Ritsu's lips snapped closed again, and she frowned worriedly.

* * *

><p><em>Clank!<em>

That was the door being locked behind Ritsu and Mugi.

"Let's go," Ritsu said. Mugi nodded silently, and fell in behind her. They carefully picked their way through the subway, and Ritsu tried not to think about how much worse the smell was getting. Nor did she want to think about the ominous buzzing that could be heard in the air.

The darkness around them gave way to faint gray light. The putrid stench of decay became less overpowering, and they soon found the stairway up to the main street.

Still, they walked in awkward silence, and Ritsu couldn't help contrasting it to that time they'd spent the day at the shopping arcade. The thought made her eyes mist, and gave her a dull, gnawing, ache in the pit of her stomach.

"Hey Mugi," she finally said.

"What is it, Ricchan?"

"It's … it's been a while since we've gotten to talk, hasn't it?"

"It has," the blonde replied.

"H-How are you holding up?"

Silence.

"Mugi?"

"Please don't, Ricchan," Mugi replied.

"Eh?" Ritsu said, feeling a sudden, numb, sense of shock.

"Y-you're patronizing me, Ricchan," Mugi replied. "Y-you haven't said much to me since … since Mio-chan and I came back."

"W-well, it's been," Ritsu wracked her brain for more words. "Um, hard. It's been hard for all of us lately, maybe, I think."

Mugi shook her head.

"And ... Mugi, when have I ever patronized _anybody_?"

"You do it to Yui-chan all the time."

Ritsu pressed her lips together.

"I-It's all in fun," she replied. "You ... should know this!"

"I don't," Mugi said, shaking her head. "I don't know. A-And the longer this goes on ... the less I know."

Ritsu bit her lip. "Well ... there's gotta be a way out of this. It's not gonna go on forever."

"That's not what I meant, Ricchan," Mugi replied. She looked down the street. "We should get across."

* * *

><p>Ritsu shivered as they picked their way down the dark corridors. That office building was going to give her nightmares for however long she had left to live.<p>

"Mugi," she said, leaning against a doorway. "What did you mean earlier? That the longer this goes on, the less you know?"

Mugi turned back. Her expression was unreadable, but she backtracked to lean on the other side of the doorway. She sighed, shaking her head.

"Ricchan ... how much do you know about me?"

"I ... " Ritsu said, feeling her jaw go slack. "Well, uh," she said, stroking her chin thoughtfully. She then sighed explosively. There wasn't any point lying, was there?

"Not a whole lot," she said. "N-not as much as I should."

Mugi shook her head. "No ... no ... you know as much as I could share with you all."

"I ... see," Ritsu replied. She pursed her lips.

"You don't," Mugi said.

Ritsu pressed her lips tightly together. "Well, make me understand ... lay it on me!"

Mugi looked into Ritsu's eyes for a few moments, and then she nodded, pushing herself off the doorframe, walking away. Ritsu had to follow suit, and she had to scramble.

"I'm lonely," Mugi said. "I've been lonely all my life. And I never had a choice … because of who I am."

"Mugi," Ritsu said, starting to reach for Mugi, but the blonde shook her head.

"One day," she said. "I will inherit Father's holdings. So I was never allowed to do anything, at all, that might shame the family. I'm always so envious of the rest of you, because you can do whatever you want."

"I dunno about that," Ritsu replied, as the emerged into the stairwell that would take them to the roof of the building.

"You don't know," Mugi said, her voice flat. "There are so many things I have to keep from you, and lots of things that I _don't_ want to tell you, and things you wouldn't _want_ to know."

"I am pretty _curious_, you know," Ritsu replied.

Mugi shook her head. "If you knew … it'd ruin the illusion." She stopped and grabbed the handrail. "And … over this last month, that's how I've come to see it."

"An … illusion," Ritsu echoed. "I-I can't believe that, Mugi."

"Because you don't know," Mugi replied. "You … you don't know _anything_, Ricchan!" She wheeled back on Ritsu, and had closed the space between them in an instant.

Suddenly, Ritsu had her back pressed to a wall, and her front pressed against Mugi … and Mugi's lips …

It was over in a few seconds. Ritsu's lips tingled as she gasped for air. Her heart was racing, her head was spinning, and she had the beginnings of what promised to be a ferocious headache later.

"That's … that's one of the things I couldn't tell you," Mugi said. "It's … the way I am … not something my family approves of."

"I," Ritsu said, putting her hand on her chest. Her heart was still racing. "Uh."

"Shh," Mugi said, looking down the stairs. "Don't worry. I won't tell Mio-chan. It's just … something I had to do."

"What," Ritsu finally managed.

"I-If … all this never happened, I think I would've been happy with the way things were," Mugi said. "Even with having to hide everything." She sat down, gazing earnestly at Ritsu. "I can't do it anymore, Ricchan. I-I've lost track of the number of times I've nearly died. And now that y-you and Mio …"

Ritsu started to rub her temples.

"First Yui … and now you," she said. "Why does everyone think Mio and I have something going on?"

"Because you do," Mugi replied. "Even if _you_ don't want to see it."

_But we're just best friends, and we're both girls,_ Ritsu wanted to say. But, the memory of Mugi's lips on hers stopped her. So too did the unexpected bitterness in Mugi's voice.

"Ricchan," Mugi said, causing Ritsu to look up at her. "I need to tell you something."

"W-what is it," Ritsu said.

"I have to tell you that," Mugi said, before pausing. "That, when all this is over … I'm going to go to Finland and try to find my family." She looked down at her feet. "And I've decided to go alone."

"Mugi … why?"

"L-life's too short, Ricchan. It's too short to try to live a lie," Mugi replied. "A-and it's too late to start over again with you guys. I'm … I'm sorry!"

Mugi bowed her head, clenching her fists in her lap.

"Mugi," Ritsu said, kneeling in front of her. "Y-You wouldn't have to start over again, would you?"

"I must!" Mugi replied, her eyes tightly shut.

"Mugi," Ritsu repeated. "W-we kinda already guessed at a bunch of it. The music store, the super-expensive teas, and the villas … yeah, all big clues. The way Sumire addressed you," she paused, her voice catching in her throat. "That was big too. And, uh, really, you did a pretty bad job of hiding how you're into girls," she felt her cheeks start to warm. "E-even before you … kissed me."

"B-but there's so many things," Mugi murmured, tears coursing down her cheeks. "H-how would you all accept me afterwards," she said, stomping her feet.

"Hey," Ritsu replied. "Hey," she repeated, taking one of Mugi's hands. "It's _us_. We made it all the way to Tokyo … in the middle of the goddamned zombie apocalypse. Y-you saved our butts more times … than I can even remember."

"No … no," Mugi said. "Even that's not right. I-I could've saved you from … that … thing that attacked you. I-I didn't … I couldn't pull the trigger."

"Mugi! Stop!" Ritsu said, grabbing Mugi's shoulders. "Look … I'm still here, aren't I? And … hey, I don't remember the time you didn't … but I do remember every time when you _did_ pull the trigger."

Mugi sobbed, her shoulders shaking under Ritsu's hands.

"Mugi," she said. "We're good ... we're good ... I promise you."

"Ricchan," Mugi said, finally looking up at Ritsu. Her blue eyes were puffy. "Y-you're always going the extra distance for everyone … no matter how bad things get." She bowed her head again, her body shaking. "Y-you remember what I told you during summer classes?"

"How could … I forget," Ritsu replied.

"Th-that was when I … I realized how much I _liked_ you," Mugi said.

"I-Is that … why you kissed me just now?"

Mugi nodded, balling her hands into fists. "A-and that's why I can't stay. I-I'd just get in the way, and … and …"

"Mugi," Ritsu replied. "I-I don't know if I'm into girls … but you _don't_ have to hide that you _are_. Not with me … and not with anyone else."

"B-but what about you and M-Mio-chan … and Yui?"

Ritsu shook her head slowly. "We're just gonna have to sort _that_ out when … we're no longer being chased by zombies. A-And you've got nothing to worry about … from Yui … unless you're a guitar," she replied, smiling faintly.

"Ricchan," Mugi said, after some time.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you," Mugi said. She exhaled softly. "I-I don't know … what I'm going to do, but you've made things ... brighter."

"Hey, that's what I'm here for," Ritsu replied. Mugi took her hand, holding it in hers. Ritsu squeezed it lightly, and the two of them sat there in the darkness, hand in hand.

"Ricchan, I-I think you shouldn't wait to 'sort out' how you feel," Mugi said.

Ritsu shook her head. "My head's bad, Mugi," she replied. "It wouldn't be fair … to think about that right now. Not if …"

"It's also not fair to put it off," Mugi replied. "T-trust me."

Ritsu looked at Mugi.

"Okay," she said.

* * *

><p><em>Crack!<em>

_Crack-crack-crack!_

"Reloading!"

"I've got you, Ricchan!"

There was more gunfire, more screaming, and then silence. Ritsu and Mugi looked at each other, breathing heavily.

"God ... damn," Ritsu said. "Tokyo ... a lot of zombies. Wonder how we're going to get out of this one?"

She looked past Mugi, down the length of power cable that snaked toward the subway.

"Whatever," she finally said. Her head hurt, and she just wanted some time to rest and think. "Let's just get underground."

There was a tremendous roar as a pair of F-15s screamed overhead. The sound was like a spike, driven through Ritsu's skull, but that was _nothing_ compared to what happened next.

_BOOM!_

_BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!_

Ritsu found herself on the ground. Her ears were ringing, and her head was filled with throbbing, pulsating, pain.

"Ricchan!" Mugi said somewhere nearby.

"Here," Ritsu managed. Mugi appeared at her side, wide-eyed with shock.

"W-what was that?"

"I ... I think they just bomb ... "

Just then, the F-15s roared overhead once more, coming from a different direction. This time, Ritsu had just enough time to cover her ears, and she felt Mugi throw herself on top of her, before the world exploded again. Bits of concrete and rock showered them both, and Ritsu screamed.

"Stop bombing us!"

Mugi struggled to push herself up off Ritsu.

"Ricchan, we've got to get off the street!"

Ritsu groaned, forcing herself to sit up.

"I've ... never heard a better idea in my life ... _oh God!_ Mio! Yui!"

Mugi looked momentarily puzzled, but her bemusement was replaced with genuine horror, as both of them looked toward the subway entrance.

"I-I read somewhere that Tokyo's subways were designed with major disasters in mind!"

"I don't think they designed for ... the zombie apocalypse," Ritsu gasped. "Or for the military bombing the city on purpose. C'mon, Mugi, let's go!"

They both scrambled across the street, stumbling over debris, and dashing headlong into the darkness. The roar of fighter jets followed them down, and dust rained down on them as more bombs landed.

"Oh God," Ritsu screamed. "Why!"

"Ricchan! Hurry!"

They stumbled through the darkness, gasping for breath. Flashlight spots jumping wildly in the darkness, barely hinting at hidden hazards. The ground shook beneath them again, and it was all Ritsu could do to keep lurching forward.

_Falling!_

Ritsu tumbled to the ground, limbs flailing.

"Oh ... This hurts, this hurts," she whimpered, between gasps for air.

"Ricchan!" Mugi said. "We're here!"

Ritsu found it in her to struggle to her feet one more time. The door was closed and locked. Everything _looked_ intact, but there was only one way to be sure ...

"Guys, we're back," she said, hammering on the door. "Open the door!"

_Clank!_

Almost immediately, she could hear the door being unlocked and pulled open. Save for the glow of the lantern, it was dark inside.

"R-Ritsu!" Mio said, appearing in the doorway. Her voice sounded a little better, but Ritsu could still barely hear her.

"I-It was awful," Mio croaked. "T-there was an earthquake! We were w-worried you'd never come back!"

Ritsu reached out and lightly pinched Mio's cheek.

"Ow ... Ritsu! Wh-what was that for?"

"To calm you down," Ritsu replied. "Because I'm about to fall over." She then stumbled forward, her face slamming into Mio's chest.

"Ritsu!" Mio squeaked, just barely catching Ritsu.

"I ... I just need a moment ... for the world to stop spinning," Ritsu said. "B-but, not to scare you or anything, but ... that was no earthquake."

"It's true," Mugi replied, locking the door. "We ... we were just bombed by the military. I don't know how much longer it's going to be safe to stay here."

"D-don't make jokes like that!" Mio said, stumbling back, and forcing Ritsu to be the one to steady her.

"No joke," Ritsu replied. The effort of supporting Mio's weight was making her knees wobble.

"Ricchan! Mugi-chan!" Yui said. "You're back!"

"Yeah," Ritsu replied. "N-nice of you to ... finally ... join us, Yui-san."

"That wasn't very nice, Ricchan," Yui replied. "B-but I've got great news!"

Ritsu closed her eyes. "B-before you tell us ... you should know the military's bombing us. We're gonna ... have to clear out soon."

"Oh! That's good," Yui replied. "Because what I want to tell you is that I'm done."

Ritsu swallowed. Her head was pounding, and all she wanted to do at that moment was rest. Yet, she felt her stomach drop anyway.

"N-not now," she moaned. "Please ... not now. W-we've gotta ... stick together."

"I know that, Ricchan," Yui replied, tilting her head a little to the side. "What I'm done with is my _plan_!"

"Plan, Yui-chan?" Mugi said.

"Oh yeah," Yui replied, beaming. "It's my plan for getting us all out of here!"

* * *

><p><span><strong>Author's Notes<strong>**:**  
>- Yes, I decided on the "short chapter, and then finale" route. A short chapter was demanded, since Ritsu made a pretty huge mistake when she and Yui rescued Mugi and Mio.<br>- Yes ... they're having tea. _In the middle of the zombie apocalypse._ This is a_ K-ON!_ story; it had to happen, sooner or later.  
>- Really, the thing with Mugi was building up. Mugi's gotten very little attention over the course of the story; and her life was, arguably, the one thrown into the most disarray. If there was anyone with a lot to think about, it'd be her.<br>- Yeah … not really into the whole _K-ON! _as yuri thing. Which is why there are only two unambiguously lesbian characters in this story, one asexual, and enough ambiguity between the rest that I can write a story about zombies without having to think much about who's gonna shack up with who.  
>- With that being said … bet you didn't see that kiss coming, did you?<br>- Thanks for reading! Leave reviews!


	24. Chapter 23

**Dead Redemption****:**  
><em>It's hard to escape with your soul.<em>

"What are you going on about?" That was the first thing Ritsu thought to say.

"My plan, Ricchan," Yui replied. "My plan to get us all out of here!"

"That's … what you've been working on this whole time?"

Yui nodded quickly.

"Uh huh," she said.

_Yui,_ Ritsu thought. She was tired, and even now, a smart comeback had somehow bubbled up to the top of her mind. And then she remembered the doodles on the subway map.

"Okay," she said. "You know what … just lay it on me, Yui-san."

Yui beckoned them all closer, and then she smiled and said one word.

"Budokan!"

"_**What!?**_"

* * *

><p>"It makes sense," Mugi said, a little while later. "These maps really do show that we can get almost the entire way there using the subway lines."<p>

"B-But why the Budokan?" Mio said.

"Because it's the _Budokan_!" Yui replied. "We've always wanted to go there … and it must be a pretty important place!"

Ritsu tried to think. Her eyes were closed in a bid to fight off her lightheadedness.

"Kitanomaru," Mugi said.

"Eh," Ritsu replied. There, she'd contributed to the conversation. Something tickled the back of her mind, and she tried to reach for it, but it was gone as quickly as it'd come.

"Kitanomaru Park," Mugi repeated. "It's part of the grounds of the Imperial Palace. The Budokan is in Kitanomaru Park. The military is certain to want to protect the Imperial Palace."

"B-but wouldn't everyone be evacuated already," Mio said.

"It's the heart of Japan. The soul of Japan," Yui replied, holding up her hand.

"So the military will protect it for that reason," Mugi said.

"Guess … you're on-board with this, Mugi?" Ritsu said.

"Yes!"

"Okay … one problem … the subways are a zombie-filled death-trap."

"Ricchan," Mugi replied. "Is it going to be any better above-ground? And, don't forget, the military is dropping bombs above ground for some reason."

"I'm just … loving our options here," Ritsu said, sagging back.

"R-Ricchan doesn't want to go to the Budokan?" That was Yui speaking.

"What I want … is to get the hell out of this," Ritsu replied. "I'm sick and tired … of being sick and tired."

"Ricchan …"

Ritsu was silent for a few moments. She was dying, but she didn't want to die in Tokyo. But … well, maybe Yui's idea was the best shot at getting her friends out safely. In the end … wasn't that the one thing keeping her going? The three that were in that dark room with her?

"Eh … what the hell," she said, opening one eye. "Can't think of … a better idea. So … let's go with Yui's."

* * *

><p>It was a bitter pill to swallow, but Ritsu swallowed it anyway. More pain pills to try to keep up the illusion that she was okay.<p>

"Pills here … grabbing pills. Pills, pills, _pills,_" she said. "God, I think I might be addicted."

"Eh, Ricchan?" Yui said.

"N-nothing!" Ritsu said, waving Yui off. "L-let's keep going … okay?"

"Okay," Yui replied. Ritsu emerged from her corner, to see the others watching her. They'd left the saferoom far behind, and were now making their way through the dark subway tunnels.

The ground shook gently beneath them, and cool, moist, air blew past them.

"That … can't be good," Ritsu said.

"A-are they bombing us again," Mio said, just behind Ritsu.

"Maybe," Ritsu replied. "Oh … crap … watch out!"

There was sudden screaming as zombies ran toward them from the darkness. Ritsu struggled to pull her revolvers free as Mugi opened fire, illuminating the subway tunnel with flaming strobelight.

Ritsu got her guns up just in time for Mugi to run out of ammo, and she managed to pick off the last few zombies, as the blonde reloaded her rifle.

"G-great," she said. "The bombing's … riling them up."

"Wonder what the point is," Mugi replied. She pursed her lips. "We should keep going."

* * *

><p>"What the hell," Ritsu said. "No … seriously … what the hell!"<p>

"T-the tunnel's blocked," Mio said. Ritsu grit her teeth, shining her flashlight over the wall of rubble that blocked their path.

"Is this a consequence of the military bombing," Mugi said.

"Makes sense," Ritsu replied, rubbing her temple. "M-maybe they're trying to block off the zombies."

"Yui," Mio said. "I-Is there a way around this?"

Ritsu looked back at Yui, who stared at the wall in open-mouthed shock.

"Yui," Ritsu said.

"R-right!" Yui replied, suddenly dropping to her knees, spreading out the map in front of her. "Um … um … let's see … if we … no … "

"L-let me help," Mugi said, kneeling beside Yui.

"Hey Ritsu," Mio said, as Mugi and Yui worked.

"Yeah," Ritsu replied. She could feel Mio's warmth.

"D-do you think Yui's plan will work?"

"Don't know," Ritsu replied. "I mean … it _does_ make sense, though something is bothering me about it," she said, leaning back against Mio.

"Are you okay?"

Ritsu quietly shook her head. "Pills help, but only for a while, and not," she trailed off, feeling the world start to spin. She felt Mio's hands grip her arms. "And not totally," she finally managed to say.

"I … you're going to make it, Ritsu," Mio whispered.

"I dunno," Ritsu replied.

"You're going to make it," Mio repeated. "I-I don't know w-what I'd do if you didn't, Ritsu."

_Mio …_

"Y-you'll … you'll be just fine," Ritsu replied, forcing a smile to her face. "Why … there's always Mugi!"

"D-don't be stupid," Mio said, sniffling. "I-it wouldn't be the same without _you_, Ritsu. I … need _you_ … "

"Mio," Ritsu murmured. "Mio-chan …"

"I've got it," Yui said, suddenly looking up.

"Your timing … astonishingly bad, as always," Ritsu said, exhaling sharply.

"Ricchan? Mio-chan?"

Ritsu shook it off. The world was still spinning, but she felt in-control … for the moment.

"Nothing, Yui," she replied. "L-let's see what you've found for us."

* * *

><p>"I'm starting to see a pattern here," Ritsu said. Shafts of dusty sunlight speared the darkness, glinting off rocks and shattered concrete. This tunnel, too, was blocked. She made her way over to a large slab of asphalt, and sat down.<p>

"Do you think they all might be this way," Mio said, sitting down next to her.

"I," Ritsu started to reply, before pausing. "Maybe … I dunno. I really hope not, though."

"I-I think we could climb up the rubble," Mugi said. Ritsu glanced in her direction, and felt her mouth drop open as she saw that Mugi was halfway up, staring into the sunlight.

"Yeah," Yui replied, her expression brightening. "Maybe they're cutting the tunnels because they've still got stuff to protect!"

_Or … maybe there's a whole bunch of zombies waiting on the other side_, Ritsu wanted to say. However, when she took one look into Mio's eyes, and into Yui's eyes, she thought better of it.

"That's … one theory," she said. "But … if they _are_ cutting off the subway network, then we're … gonna have to go up to the surface eventually." She paused … that was a happy thought, being out in the open in zombie-infested Tokyo. "S-so we'd might as well … get it over with."

With that, she pushed herself up. Yui was already scrambling to catch up with Mugi. Ritsu, tentatively, started up the slope.

"Not ... so bad," she said. Somewhere behind her, Mio started climbing as well.

She pushed herself up the slippery slope ... it was harder to climb than it first looked, and her head started to hurt before long.

"Okay ... getting worse," she said, under her breath.

"C'mon guys," Yui said. "You can do it!"

"It looks kinda tight at the top, but ... I think it's completely open beyond that," Mugi said.

"Some good news," Ritsu gasped. She paused to rub her temple, a few feet from the narrow tunnel that separated them from the daylight. Staring into the bright light made her head worse.

"Ugh," she said. "Can we just ... let's go."

The others nodded. Mugi and Yui were the first on their knees, worming their way through the narrow passage. Ritsu threw herself into it next, scrambling over loose, sharp, debris. As she emerged, she rolled onto her back, staring up into a hazy orange sky. At the edges of her vision, the jagged edges of wrecked skyscrapers reached for that sky.

Mugi appeared at her side, a worried frown on her face.

"Ricchan ... are you all right?"

"I'll ... manage," Ritsu replied, pulling herself into a sitting position, and coming face-to-face with Mio.

"D-don't scare me like that!" Mio said.

"Didn't ... know I looked that bad," Ritsu replied, a half-grin coming to her face. Mio wrinkled her nose, and then smiled in return.

"Stupid," she said, but there was no sting in her voice.

"I have an excuse," Ritsu replied. "Hey Yui! Where to … now?"

"It looks like it's possible to crawl back down the other side of this pile of rubble," Mugi said. "Or we can try the streets."

"Streets are … probably full of zombies," Ritsu replied. "And it's too bright out here."

She saw Mio subconsciously reach for her throat, fingering her bruises.

"Well," Yui said, "if only I could … ugh … get higher."

Yui was already trying to scramble up the apparent crater they were in.

"Yui-chan!" Mugi said. "Be careful!"

"Just … a … little … more," Yui said. Bits of concrete and asphalt shifted under her, as she tried to grab hold of the rind of intact pavement at street level.

"_Rooooooar!"_

Yui lost her footing, tumbling back down the slope in a cloud of dust.

"Yui!" They all screamed.

"_Roooooooar!"_

"T-there's a tank coming!" Ritsu managed, rolling onto her knees to push herself to her feet.

Mugi was already at Yui's side, trying to get her to her feet. They could hear the thudding footfalls of the giant zombie.

"_Raaaargh!"_

Pavement hurtled over the edge of the crater, smashing into the ground between Ritsu and Mugi.

"C'mon," Ritsu screamed. "Gotta … gotta get back underground!" She quickly cast a glance in Mugi's direction, and saw her with Yui on her back. There was a gap that looked like the one Mugi pointed out earlier, and Ritsu and Mio scrambled for it.

_Crash!_

Another huge slab of pavement slammed into the ground, close to where they'd been sitting. Mio's mouth worked, but all the came out was a hoarse squeak. Ritsu grabbed her hand, pulling her along.

"_Hraaaaaargh!"_

The ground shook, and they heard a tremendous crash. Ritsu glanced back, just in time to see the tank emerge from a cloud of dust, having jumped into the crater with them.

"Get underground," she said, pulling her guns free. "Sure wish … I had one of those burning things!"

She fired her revolvers at the tank, and the monster zombie howled. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mugi and Mio ushering a dazed-looking Yui into the hole. And then, Mio was at her side.

"Ritsu … let's go," she said. At the same time, she unslung her rifle. "I-I-I'll be right behind you!"

Ritsu looked at Mio, and then down at her revolvers.

"Okay," she said, diving for the hole. She heard the crackle of gunfire behind her, and the tank roaring angrily.

_Crash!_

Dirt and rocks rained down on her as she scrambled deeper into the narrow tunnel.

"Mio," she screamed. "C'mon!" She barely heard Mio's scream as the ground shook again. She scrambled faster, feeling the sharp stones digging into her skin.

_Boom!_

Darkness.

* * *

><p>Ritsu next found herself staring into the beam of a flashlight. She squinted, trying to fight through the waves of sudden nausea.<p>

"I'm fine," she said, shielding her eyes. She looked back, only seeing the bright after-image of the flashlight.

"M-Mio?"

"Mio!"

"I-I'm here," Mio replied, just behind her, just before erupting into a fit of coughing. Ritsu blinked, and the afterimage of the flashlight faded enough for her to see Mio, and just how close they'd come to being trapped in the cave-in.

Ritsu swallowed, turning back towards Mugi.

"How are you and Yui?"

"I'm okay," Mugi replied. "Yui's still out-of-it, though."

"Ugh," Ritsu said, crawling out of what was left of their escape hole. "Not … good. Bad enough with _my_ head … the way it is." Behind her, Mio emerged from the hole, before sitting down and hugging her knees.

"Too close … too close … too close," she muttered.

"That was … pretty brave of you, Mio-chan," Ritsu said, rubbing her shoulder.

"I-I wouldn't have had to … if you'd used the right gun, Ritsu," Mio said, her face buried behind her knees.

"Where are we?" Yui said slowly. "Is it time for cake yet?"

"Don't think so," Ritsu replied. "A-and just … what were you thinking!"

"About what," Yui said, with a tilt of her head. "Dunno what you mean, Ricchan … All I know is I'm hungry."

A sudden surge of pain cut off Ritsu's first reply.

"It'll … look, give it a bit, okay?"

"Okay … but I'm hungry _now_," Yui replied, rubbing the back of her head. She then looked at her hand. It was covered in blood. "Weird. How'd this happen?"

"I-I'll see if I've got something for Yui-chan to eat," Mugi said.

"Good deal," Ritsu said. She turned on her own flashlight and looked around. "Where the _hell_ are we now?"

* * *

><p>They crept through the darkness. Ritsu stared at Yui's map, turning it around and around, trying to make sense of Yui's cryptic scribbles.<p>

"Hey Yui," she said. "You remembering … anything yet?"

"Nope," Yui replied. She was wearing some makeshift bandages around her head now.

"D-don't be so nonchalant about it!" Ritsu said, gritting her teeth. "Goddamn it!"

"Ricchan, stop," Mugi said, putting her hand on Ritsu's shoulders. Ritsu took a few deep breaths, leaning against a wall.

"Y-you're right … yelling's not … gonna help," she said, shutting her eyes tightly. A few moments later, the pain faded to manageable levels and she looked up at Yui.

"Sorry for snapping at you there, Yui."

"It's okay, Ricchan," Yui replied. "I _am_ trying _really hard_ to remember … if only Azu-nyan were here; she'd have the answer for me."

"Yui …"

"'s okay," Yui managed. "I-I do r-remember that much," she said, sniffling. "Azu-nyan … Ui … Nodoka. Y-you guys should be here … right now."

"Yui-chan," Mugi said, putting her arms around Yui. "A-as long as w-we remember them in our hearts … then they're still here … with us."

"I-I want them to be _here_ here," Yui said, sniffling.

"Yui," Ritsu whispered. She took another look at Yui's map, she felt like they were close … but nothing was making sense to her. She made a small frustrated noise, feeling her headache intensify.

"Ricchan," Yui said, looking up. Her cheeks were wet. "D-Do you miss … Azu-nyan?"

"I," Ritsu replied, closing her eyes. "Y-yeah, I do," she said. "I really, _really, _do."

"W-what do you miss about her?"

"Kid really knew how to take charge," Ritsu said, without thinking. Her eyes were starting to tear up, and she turned away.

"R-Ricchan's so honest," Yui said, sniffling.

"Yui … I'm sorry," Ritsu started to say.

"B-but that's what I appreciate most about her," Yui said. "I-I'm cool now," she said, wiping her nose.

"Are you sure, Yui-chan?"

"Yeah," Yui replied, her voice small. "W-we're gonna be like Azu-nyan, and the others, if … if I can't remember. So … I gotta concentrate."

"Okay," Ritsu said, turning back to face the others. "L-let's just take it slow … take it easy … till Yui can remember."

* * *

><p>Crying. They heard crying.<p>

"Ricchan ... someone's crying," Yui said.

Mugi and Ritsu exchanged glances.

"I ... uh ... think we took a wrong turn somewhere," Ritsu said, trying to ignore the crying.

"Ricchan, it might be someone in trouble!"

"S-Sawa-chan ... she cried like that ... at the end," Mugi said, looking down.

Ritsu nodded quickly.

"Yeah," she said, forcing herself to breathe, and to not think of Satoshi.

Yui frowned in thought.

"I remember now," she said, pounding her fist into her palm. "One of our classmates was like that too!"

"I'm ... glad we're all ... on the same page," Ritsu said. "Wanna look at this map ... and see if you remember anything else?"

"Okay," Yui said, taking the subway map from Ritsu's hands. Mio's flashlight darted to-and-fro.

"Mio-chan, be careful," Mugi said. "I-I remember that light made Sawa-chan _angry_ ... when she was o-one of them."

Mio moaned, leaning against the wall, and pointing her flashlight at her feet.

"I think ... yeah, it's coming back!" Yui said. She then frowned, looking down.

"Yui ... what is it?"

"I-I think we h-have to go t-that way," Yui replied, slowly raising her arm. She pointed into the darkness ... toward the crying.

"Great," Ritsu replied. "You sure?"

Yui nodded.

"A-and there's no way around?"

"Don't think so," Yui replied.

"G-great," Ritsu said. "Um ... okay ... let's be really careful, then."

She checked her rifle, and then crept forward into the darkness, toward the crying. The spot of her flashlight slowly swept the path ahead of her. She'd heard what Mugi said, but it was pitch-black in the subway tunnels.

"Huh!"

Ritsu froze. What was that noise? She crouched, seeing the other flashlight spots dancing ahead of her. She stared ahead, trying to find the source of that noise.

_Growl._

"I-I hear something," Mio said.

"There!" Yui said, the light of her flashlight alighting squarely onto a humanoid figure crouched on the subway tracks. It was a pale, naked, young woman whose eyes shone red in the light. She snarled, baring stained teeth.

"Hrrrrgh ... hrrrrrgh!"

The woman started to push herself to her feet, her arms ending in grotesquely oversized hands tipped in blood-encrusted claws.

"Lights off!" Mugi shouted. "Lights off now!"

Lights clicked off, plunging them into darkness ... save for one bright spot, trained right on the zombie woman. The woman was standing now, each breath a snarl.

"Yui! Your light!"

"R-right ... oops!"

Ritsu looked back in horror, as the flashlight slipped out of Yui's grasp, tumbling end-for-end, toward her. It hit, spinning, before it came to rest pointed ahead.

"Crap," Ritsu said, grabbing at the flashlight.

There was an ear-piercing, wailing, scream.

_No time!_ Ritsu thought, bringing her rifle up.

_Bam!_ One shot! Crap! She squeezed the trigger over and over, seeing that naked wraith charging down the tunnel toward her. Behind her, she heard an explosion of gunfire. Puffs of dust and explosions of blood pocked the woman's skin, but she seemed not to notice.

Ritsu tried to scramble back, while shooting. She failed, feeling her feet slip out from under her. The shock of landing on her tailbone stopped her shooting, and she looked helplessly into the glowing red eyes of the zombie woman ... watched her raise her claws for the killing blow...

Silence.

Ritsu peeked out from behind her upraised arms. The zombie lay on the ground before her. The woman thrashed a few times, and then was still.

"Oh god," she muttered, her heart racing, her head pounding, and her world spinning madly around her. "Oh god ... t-that ..."

"Ricchan!" Mugi said, dropping to Ritsu's side. At her other side, was Mio.

"That was a lot of bullets," Yui said.

"Forget that! W-why didn't you turn your damned light off," Ritsu screamed.

"I-I'm sorry Ricchan," Yui replied, looking down. "I-I froze."

"Goddamn it, goddamn it, _goddamn it!_" Ritsu said, clutching her head. "Goddamn it!"

She rolled onto her knees, rocking back and forth, with her head clutched in her hands. She felt hands on her shoulders, and she grit her teeth.

"I'm fine," she bit out. "I'll be fine ... I'll be fine," she said. "We ... gotta keep moving ... gotta keep moving ..."

* * *

><p>Four bedraggled survivors clambered wearily up a set of stairs. They emerged into the golden glow of afternoon sunlight, and into a desolate urban wasteland. Debris littered Tokyo's streets … abandoned cars, concrete, and shattered glass. Among them, stiff, blackened, and bloated corpses. Angrily buzzing flies swarmed around them. Between all of those … were zombies, lots and lots of zombies.<p>

"Not … a cheerful sight," Ritsu said, leaning against the rail of a broken escalator.

"N-no," Mio said, her voice a frail, tiny, thing.

"That's a lot of zombies," Mugi added, dropping the magazine of her rifle, and weighing it in her hand.

Behind them, Yui frowned at her maps.

"Well," Ritsu said, looking back. "Which way?"

"Umm," Yui replied, biting her lip. "West … I think?"

Ritsu groaned. Yui had to have been badly concussed … her memories were still pretty scrambled. She'd lead them down a few wrong turns after their encounter with the crying girl.

"I think Yui-chan's right," Mugi said. "We should be a couple minutes away from the Budokan."

"W-what if it's not the right place to go?" Mio said.

"Well, unless anyone has a _better _idea … it's gonna have to be … the Budokan," Ritsu replied. She took a moment to check the magazine of her own rifle. Killing that crying girl, and a few stragglers who were still lurking in the subways, burned through a lot of their ammo.

She made an unhappy noise as she reloaded her rifle, and then reached for her revolvers instead.

"Gotta … make these count," she said to herself. "You guys ready?"

Mugi, Mio, and Yui nodded.

"Okay … go, go, go!"

She stumbled out into the sidewalk. The sunlight was doing nothing good for her head, but she had to just fight through it.

_Bam! Bam!_

A zombie went down before it could stand up. A couple others snarled, turning toward the girls. Rifles _cracked_, and the zombies staggered back. She fired at another zombie sprinting toward them, and then at a fourth, which toppled backward with a bullet in its head. Someone behind her switched to using a revolver as well, and a couple more zombies went down.

"Keep going," Mugi said, over the snap of her revolver.

_Boom!_

A fine mist of blood and bile rained down on some of the abandoned cars, as someone's gunfire hit one of the corpulent, vomiting, zombies. Ritsu picked off a couple more zombies that were trying to climb over a bus, and then she realized she was out of bullets.

"Rel … crap!" She screamed, pistol-whipping a zombie that landed in front of her, snarling. Mio's rifle thundered, dropping several more.

"H-hurry, Ritsu," Ritsu thought she heard Mio say. Somehow, she managed to fumble new cartridges into both of her revolvers, and she snapped them both closed just in time to see several zombies swarming over the abandoned cars, scrambling toward her.

"Behind the trees!" Mugi shouted. Ritsu glanced away from the zombies just long enough to glimpse some tall trees planted along the sidewalk.

_Bam! Bam! Bam!_

"R-right," she said, watching a couple zombies drop. She fired again, dropping a couple more.

"Y-Yui! Watch out!"

There was a sudden explosion of gunfire. Ritsu turned back just in time to see one of the hunched, giggling zombies flying past Yui. It crashed into a car, and didn't get back up.

"Ritsu! Cover me, please!" Mio shouted hoarsely.

"Yes," Ritsu replied, dropping to one knee at Mio's side, firing at the oncoming zombies. Suddenly, she saw something out of the corner of her eye.

_Long neck!_

She stood, thrusting herself into Mio, throwing them both off to one side. A moment later, there was the sound of something splattering onto the pavement behind them, followed by a sizzling sound.

"R-Ritsu," Mio squeaked, coughing.

"Spitter," Ritsu said, sitting up. As she did, she saw more zombies coming at them. Straddling Mio, she fired her revolvers at them. Mio screamed each time, covering her face.

"Okay … okay, now you can get up," Ritsu said, rolling off Mio. She then tried to reload her revolvers as quickly as she could.

"Guys, c'mon," Mugi said.

"C'mon! C'mon!" Yui added, rushing past them. Together, Mio and Ritsu scrambled to their feet, running after her … into the oncoming rush of zombies.

"Too many … too many," Ritsu gasped. "How … much farther!"

"Halfway," Mugi shouted.

"Crap," Ritsu said. She wheeled around, firing at several zombies running after them. All she could hear was screaming and gunfire. She felt very light on her feet, which almost made up for her pounding headache.

"Yui-chan! Watch my back!"

"R-right!"

"Ritsu! Look out!"

Ritsu turned, just in time to hear the howl of a charger. The massive zombie exploded from the trees on the far side of the sidewalk. She stumbled back, and somehow, it was enough.

_Crash!_

The charger slammed into one of the trees, staggering back. They made eye-contact, and the massive zombie lunged for her. A massive fist barely missed her face, and she screamed, ducking down to try to run past it. The charger turned, only to be greeted by a fusillade of gunfire.

She screamed again, zombies were catching up to her, trying to grab at her. She flailed at them with her revolvers, firing whenever she had an opening. Eyes wide, she looked around … zombies everywhere.

_There!_

She just barely made out Mio, swinging with her rifle. She pushed past several zombies, staggering as she felt a fist clip her ear. She turned, firing, feeling hot blood and ichor splattering against her face.

"M-Mio! Now!"

Mio fired repeatedly into the oncoming zombies, giving Ritsu just enough time to get to her own rifle. Together, they managed to fight their way toward Mugi and Yui. Mugi was swinging her rifle, knocking zombies back, and sending them sprawling. Yui fired several times, and then stared uncomprehendingly at her rifle.

"Yui … reload!" Ritsu managed, jamming her revolver into the mouth of a zombie, and pulling the trigger.

Yui dropped the empty magazine from her rifle, and tried to fumble a fresh one in.

"_Yaaaaaah!"_

Yui screamed, as a hoodie-wearing zombie pounced on her, knocking her down. Ritsu lunged, but felt her legs give out.

"Mio!" She screamed, rolling onto her back, kicking at zombies. She saw blood and gore explode from their bodies as Mio shot them, and it was all she could do to keep them from falling on top of her.

And then, Mio was at her side.

"Get up, get up, _get up!_" She said, her voice all but gone.

"Trying," Ritsu managed, struggling to get to her feet, even with Mio's help. They turned to see Yui leaning heavily against Mugi. There was more grunting, more growling, and more screaming. Their respite would be short-lived.

"Over there," Mugi said. "Military blockade! We're almost there," she added, gesturing ahead of them. Ritsu blinked, willing her eyes to focus. Ahead of them were military trucks, surrounded by dead soldiers and zombies.

"_Rooooooar!"_

"Goddamn it," Ritsu said, under her breath. "Not … now."

"_Roaaaaarrgh!"_

_Crash!_

That was the sound of a lot of metal being shoved aside with great force.

"C'mon … c'mon," she said, pulling at Mio, staggering for the military vehicles.

"Guns!" Yui shouted. "Lotsa guns!"

"_Raaaargh!"_

There were several loud bangs, and a crash. Much closer now. Through the trees, Ritsu swore she saw a car flip up and over. Behind it, a tank reared up, pounding its massive, glistening, chest with its fists.

"Ritsu!"

"Y-Yes," Ritsu replied, stumbling over to the blockade. Immediately, Mugi thrust several fresh magazines into her hands.

"_Hraaaargh!"_

"Over … the barricade," Ritsu said. Mugi nodded.

"Everyone, around the barricade," Mugi said. Ritsu was grateful the blonde could still shout. They scrambled around the trucks, and over the sandbags. All the while, they could hear the tank getting closer and closer.

"Through the gates," she said, gesturing ahead of them. Ritsu looked up, seeing a stone wall ahead of them with a traditional Japanese gate. There were more sandbags, and more dead strewn about.

"Not … looking … good," she said, gasping.

_Crash!_

"Goddamn it, _run,_" she said. There was the sound of wrenching metal behind them, and the sound of scrambling claws and feet. As she ran, she nearly tripped over one of the bodies, and then her jaw dropped as she saw the bottles scattered around the corpse.

"Flaming things!" She gasped, stooping to scoop up as many of the bottles as she could carry.

"Ritsu, what are you doing!"

"Keep … running," she replied, fumbling the match off the side of the bottle.

_Scratch … scratch … scratch …_

"C'mon … work," she hissed, trying again. The match flared to life, and she lit the rag protruding from the bottle. She stumbled to her feet, staggering backward. Zombies were crawling over the military trucks and leaping off to run toward her. She got just inside the gate, and someone off to her side began shooting at the oncoming zombies.

Suddenly, one of the trucks shook violently, rocking as the tank clambered up and over it.

"_Raaaaargh!"_

_Now!_ Ritsu thought, hurtling the bottle with all her strength. It trailed smoke, tumbling end over end, ending in a fiery explosion right at the tank's feet. Flames raced up the giant zombie's body and it howled in agony.

"Ritsu … let's go," Mio whispered urgently, tugging at Ritsu's sleeve. Together, they dashed across what turned out to be a large, square, courtyard, toward another massive gate … this one nearly closed. Mugi and Yui waved frantically from behind it.

"Okay … okay," Ritsu gasped. Behind them was screaming, as zombies tried to run through the flames. Somehow, Ritsu and Mio made it to the gate, and Ritsu shoved one of her bottles into Mio's hands.

"Do … exactly as I do," she said, yanking the match off the side.

"We need to push this door closed," Mugi said.

"Just a sec," Ritsu said, striking the match against the heavy wooden door. This time, it caught, and she lit her bottle. Next to her, Mio got hers lit.

"Now!" Ritsu said, throwing hers toward the first gate. A massive pool of fire erupted at the gate, and the girls ducked inside.

"Push!" Mugi said. Ritsu threw her shoulder into the heavy door, her head spinning, her heart racing. She screamed, throwing herself at the door again. Slowly, it began to move, as they pushed it.

"Push!" Mugi repeated. Ritsu felt her feet slipping as she leaned against the door, but it was really moving now.

_Crash!_

The gate was closed, but there was no time. They had to run … nobody wanted to find out if it would hold back a tank.

"Budokan!" Yui said. "It's the Budokan!"

_BOOM!_

The gate was flung open, and the flaming tank thundered toward them. Ritsu dropped to one knee … it'd have to be here.

"Shoot … shoot the tank!"

She slammed a fresh magazine home, pulling back the trigger of her rifle. The gun bucked and jumped in her hands, the thunderous reports pounding at her head. All around her was more gunfire. The tank staggered under the assault, howling defiance at them. It started to charge at them, stopped, dropped to its knees, and then slumped to the pavement, still burning. The girls coughed and retched at the stink of its burning flesh.

"W-we got it," Mio said.

"Barely … barely," Ritsu replied, struggling to catch her breath.

"Guys," Yui said. "Budokan! We … we're here!"

Ritsu's eyes followed Yui's finger, and she saw it. A massive shape beyond the trees.

"Doesn't … look right," were the first words out of her mouth.

"Eh … Ricchan?"

Ritsu frowned, squinting. It took her a moment, but finally, she shook her head.

"Should be … more roof … lots more roof."

"Ehh!"

"You're right, Ricchan," Mugi said. "It … it looks like someone crashed something into it … because most of the roof is caved in."

"So … n-no Budokan," Yui said.

Ritsu bit her lip, tasting blood.

"N-nope," she replied. "N-no Budokan." Just then, there was a flash of memory.

_Kitanomaru Park … __**OVERRUN!**_

"We … we're too late," she murmured. "Th-there was graffiti … this place … it's been _overrun_." Ritsu began to rock slowly. "All this … all this … and for _what_?"

Yui sniffled, staring mutely at the ruined shell of what was once the Budokan.

"G-guys," Mio said, but nobody heard her.

"I … did not come … all this way … just to die here," Ritsu said, squeezing her eyes shut. Just then, she felt like she was being shaken. Her eyes snapped open, and she found herself facing Mio.

"Ritsu," Mio whispered. "L-look what we're sitting on."

Ritsu blinked rapidly, wiping her eyes. She looked down. There, on the pavement, someone had spray-painted a huge arrow … with a "saferoom" symbol inside it.

* * *

><p>"So not the Budokan," Mugi said.<p>

"But … this place," Ritsu replied. They stood before a large, white building bedecked in star-shaped cutouts.

"Science … Museum," Mio said. They'd followed the spray-painted arrows, until they stumbled upon some official-looking military signage. They'd followed those until they'd reached the building they were currently standing in front of.

"I-I so wanted to be at the Budokan though," Yui replied, staring at the ground.

"Well … maybe … maybe they'll rebuild it," Ritsu said, putting her hand on Yui's shoulder.

"Guys," Mugi said, examining another sign. "It … looks like we need to be up on the roof."

Ritsu made a noise, leaning heavily on Mio. She didn't want to climb a whole bunch of stairs. She'd fallen several more times just getting to this godforsaken place … she didn't have a lot of time left. She then looked around, at the others.

"Right," she said. "Guess … we get to do some climbing. Let's hope … let's hope there aren't a lot of zombies inside."

* * *

><p>When they emerged, it was late afternoon. Long shadows stretched across a vast expanse of gray rooftop. The sky was a hazy golden color, with distant columns of smoke rising up to meet it. Ritsu had her arm hooked in Mio's, trying to catch her breath.<p>

"C'mon," she heard Yui say. "There's a ladder over here that goes all the way to the top ... sky high!"

"You think ... she's gonna be okay," Ritsu said, turning to Mio.

"I hope so," Mio replied. "It's weird ... she's kind of acting like she did ... before everything started."

Ritsu nodded, tight-lipped.

"How are you, Mio-chan," she said.

"I ... uh ... I'm managing, I guess," Mio replied, after a few moments.

"Your voice ... sounds like hell, Mio-chan," Ritsu said, leaning on Mio.

"Ritsu!"

Ritsu laughed softly, even though it hurt to laugh.

"W-what's so funny?"

Ritsu stared out into the afternoon sun, wiping her eyes.

"Nothing, Mio-chan," she replied. "I ... uh ... was just imagining you trying to sing with that voice."

"Ritsu!" Mio said, bringing up a hand. She lightly rapped her knuckes on Ritsu's head. "I-I'm sure it'll get better ... and w-what's up with you? You're usually not so ... so ... so _feminine_."

"A lot ... on my mind," Ritsu replied. "Ain't ... got much left. This _genki_ girl ... she's all _genki'd_ out."

"D-don't say things like that!"

"I'm sorry ... Mio-chan," Ritsu replied. "Say ... what sort of ... vibe ... do you think we have?"

"Don't change the subject! You're gonna be fine," Mio said. "You're going to be fine ... we're all going to be fine!"

Ritsu shook her head. "Dunno about that ... guys are gonna be _different. _That's for sure. A-and will you just ... answer my question?"

"It ... it's the same vibe we've always had!" Mio replied. "Y'know ... before all _this_ started."

"Mio-chan, stop," Ritsu said, squeezing Mio's arm. "I meant ... you and I."

"I ... R-Ritsu?"

"It's ... uh ... it's come up," Ritsu replied. "Those two seem ... to think we've got something going on."

_And ... if I'm gonna die ... I'd might as well die knowing for sure what you're thinking,_ she thought.

"W-what business is it of theirs!" Mio replied, before slapping a hand to her mouth. Her cheeks flushed a bright red, and Ritsu tried not to laugh.

"Only ... as much business as we're willing to give them," she said. "But ... c'mon ... seriously."

Mio nodded quickly, her cheeks still red.

"I've come to ... but we're both ... I," Mio stammered, before she took a deep breath. "I-I don't know," she managed. Ritsu nodded once to herself. Mio's feelings seemed to echo hers ... and that was confirmation enough.

"B-but," Mio said, after a moment. "Whatever ... whatever it is, I don't wanna lose it. Or you," she added. She breathed in deeply. "_Especially_ you, Ritsu. W-we've been through too much ... for me to lose you now."

Ritsu leaned against Mio again.

"Yeah," she said. "Me neither," she added, gently squeezing Mio's arm for emphasis.

"G-glad you ... made it here with me."

Ritsu closed her eyes and leaned against Mio, and Mio leaned against her. Her head hurt, her body hurt, but in that moment, none of that mattered.

"Ricchan! Mio-chan," Mugi called out. Ritsu opened an eye and sighed. "You guys should come up here right away! We've found a radio!"

* * *

><p>"<em>Juliet Papa Golf Four-Niner, Whiskey Delta Romeo Charlie Four reporting in, over."<em>

"_Whiskey Delta Romeo Charlie Four, Juliet Papa Golf Four-Niner, loud and clear. Go ahead, over?"_

"_Roger, Juliet Papa Golf Four-Niner. Sector is clear of Tango Mikes. Only contact is with Whiskey Delta. Intend to bug out, over."_

"_Whiskey Delta Romeo Charlie Four, Juliet Papa Golf Four-Niner ten four. Incoming flight will be cleared hot. Out."_

The radio set was under a canvas awning that'd been pitched on the highest point of the building. Ritsu frowned, her mind getting lost amongst the military jargon she heard emanating from the radio.

"What's all that mean?" Yui said, leaning over the radio. Mugi could only shrug, and Ritsu was glad to follow suit.

"Who cares," she said. "It all sounds very ... military to me. Means these ... the right guys to call," she added, looking around. "Mugi ... you care to do the honors?"

Mugi nodded, picking up the radio.

"Uh, hello? Is anyone out there?"

Several moments of static greeted them, before the radio crackled to life.

"_Whiskey Delta Romeo Charlie Four, say again, over?" _

"Hello?" Mugi replied. "Can you hear me?"

"_Whiskey Delta Romeo Charlie Four … unidentified caller, affirmative. This is a military channel. Identify yourself! Over."_

Ritsu made a little fist-pump, and smiled at Mio, and then at Mugi.

"We're survivors, and we're on the top of the Tokyo Science Museum in Kitanomaru Park," Mugi said.

There was a loud noise from the radio that might've been someone yelling, and then more static.

"_Whiskey Delta Romeo Charlie Four, survivors, loud and clear. Confirm your location is Tokyo Science Museum, over?"_

"Yes! Yes, that's where we are," Mugi replied.

"_Roger, Whiskey Delta Romeo Charlie Four. How many of you are there? Over."_

"Four," Mugi replied. "There are four of us here!"

"_Roger, Whiskey Delta Romeo Charlie Four. Are any of you infected, over?"_

"No sir," Mugi replied. "We've been on our own for a month, and none of us are infected. I repeat: None of us are infected!"

"_Roger, Whiskey Delta Romeo Charlie Four. Survivors, I will call you back in a minute. Standby, out."_

There was a loud crackle.

"_Whiskey Delta Romeo Charlie Four, Tango Tango Whiskey Delta Charlie, come in. I have Tango Mikes at Romeo Zulu One. Requesting instructions, over."_

Then, there was a different voice on the radio.

"_Tango Tango Whiskey Delta Charlie, Whiskey Delta Romeo Charlie Four, roger. Go secure for further instructions, out."_

"Wonder … what that's all about," Ritsu said, frowning. "Don't think they were happy to hear from us."

"W-why wouldn't they be?" Mio replied. They all looked west, toward the setting sun.

"That … good question," Ritsu said.

"It's fine, as long as they pick us up," Mugi said.

"Yeah!" Yui added. "And as long as they have cake!"

"Hungry again Yui-san?" Ritsu replied, smiling faintly.

"Ehehe, sorry Ricchan," Yui said.

"_Whiskey Delta Romeo Charlie Four, Survivors. Come in, over?"_

"T-that's us," Mio said.

Mugi picked up the radio once more.

"We're here," Mugi replied. "W-what's going on?"

"_Whiskey Delta Romeo Charlie Four, Survivors, loud and clear …"_ the signal seemed weaker now, as the man's voice faded in and out of static. _"We have no … up. We have requested Am … pick you up. Do you copy? Over."_

"I'm sorry," Mugi replied. "I'm not sure we heard you. Did you say we're being picked up?"

"_Roger, Whiskey Delta Romeo Charlie Four … You are being picked up. I have instructions. Ready to copy, over?"_

"Uh," Mugi replied. "Yes … we're listening."

"_Roger, Whiskey Delta Romeo Charlie Four. Listen carefully. You will be picked up from where you are, but you must turn on the spotlights. Repeat, you must turn on the spotlights. Do you copy? Over."_

"Spot … lights," Ritsu echoed, peeking out over the edge. The building was laid out like a giant asterisk, and as she walked around she could see a floodlight set up at each end.

"I see 'em, Mugi," she said. "Guess … there's a generator somewhere."

"We hear you," Mugi said, speaking into the radio. "Where do we turn them on?"

"_Roger, Whiskey Delta Romeo Charlie Four. There should be a generator on the western end of the building. Do you see it? Over."_

The sun was gone now, but Ritsu walked in the direction of where it was. She peered down, squinting. And then, she saw it; on a portion of the roof that was set lower than the rest.

"Tell 'em … we see it," she said.

"We found the generator," Mugi said.

"_Roger, Whiskey Delta Romeo Charlie Four. Listen … it is important that the spotlights stay on so the chopper can find you. But you are in a Red Zone, so you _will_ have company … be ready for a fight! You will have _no_ backup. Do you copy? Over."_

"So … what else is new," Ritsu said, putting her hands behind her head. At least, they now had fresh ammunition. "You guys … you ready?"

"Ready, squad member Ricchan!"

"Y-yeah."

"Mmhmm!"

"All right … Mugi tell 'em … game on!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Howl!<strong>_

The girls looked over the edge of the building, down into the streets below. Behind them, they heard the generator running. Ahead of them, they could hear the coming horde.

_There!_

Running figures, scrambling over walls and cars, and emerging from the shadows. A scattered few, at first, and then more and more of them … until the streets started to look like rivers of zombies. All of them surging toward Ritsu and her friends.

"Aw crap," Ritsu said. "This … gonna be good." She and Mio had the last two of the bottles she'd collected earlier. The rags were lit, and the flickering glow of the flames lit their faces.

"Okay … on three. One … two … _three!_"

She and Mio threw their bottles over the edge of the roof, and they exploded into a pool of fire at the building's base.

"Everyone … away from the edges!" She screamed, lifting up her rifle. She wasn't sure if the zombies could climb up five stories of sheer wall, but she wasn't going to put it past them.

"Ricchan!"

Ritsu looked to the side with a start. Coming over the edge of the roof, she could see little spots of yellow light in the beams of their flashlights.

Gunfire erupted around her, and puffs of dust and sparks exploded along the edges of the roof. Zombies screamed, dropping off, but still more were coming. She fired too, even though each blast of gunfire made her head feel like it was being stomped on.

"Yui! Behind you!"

Ritsu didn't have time to look. Zombies were scrambling, clawing, scraping their way over the edges … almost faster than she could shoot them off.

_WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!_

That was coming from the doors to the rooftop … the ones they'd barricaded before turning on the lights.

"R-Ritsu! Cover me!"

"Crap … Mio!" Ritsu replied. There were now zombies running toward them. She fired, looking back and forth between them and Mio.

_Click!_

"Mio! I gotta reload," she screamed, fumbling for a fresh magazine. At least, Mio had started shooting again. The magazine slipped from Ritsu's fingers, and she dove for it.

_WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!_

She heard Mugi, and then Yui screaming, as she tried, and failed, to pick up the magazine. Her hand decided to cooperate on the third try, and she got it loaded.

"_Yaaaaaah!"_

She scrambled backward, and the leaping zombie barely missed her. Somehow, she shoved it back with her rifle, and then fired at it point blank. Blood and brains splattered her, but she didn't have time for that.

"Ritsu," Mio said, grabbing at her, trying to help her to her feet.

"Thanks," she replied. "Watch out!"

Mio screamed as several zombies grabbed at her, causing her to let go. Ritsu lost her balance, falling back down. She kicked the legs out from one zombie and sent another stumbling.

_Crack! Crack-crack-crack!_

They both fired, zombies tumbling around them.

"M-Mugi-chan! The door!" She heard Yui yell. Mugi shouted something that Ritsu missed as she struggled to her knees, so she could shoot at more zombies.

"Where's … that goddamn helicopter?" She said, grabbing for another magazine. She tried to stand, but the effort caused the world to start spinning, as did the hammering her ears were taking from Mio's rifle.

She happened to glance toward the front of the building. A spotlight stood there, sending a brilliant white shaft of light up through billowing black smoke.

_Smoke? Did we … aw jeez … _

"C'mon … c'mon … c'mon, damned helicopter," she groaned. A zombie reared up over her, and she shot it point-blank in the gut.

"Nooooooooo!"

"Mio," Ritsu screamed. She turned, just in time to see Mio staggering away … with _something_ wrapped around her upper body. Something giggling maniacally.

"No," she whimpered, a buried memory suddenly hitting her in the face. A memory of claws, of laughter, and of a foul stench.

She tried to force her body into motion, to fight the rising surge of panic. It felt like she was moving through molasses. The giggling abomination was pulling, yanking at Mio's hair, and kicking at her sides.

"No," she was falling forward, stumbling, and off-balance. Mio was stumbling back away from her, the zombie riding her trying to force her toward the edge of the roof.

"_**NO!**_" Ritsu screamed, her off-balance stumble becoming a leaping lunge.

_Crack!_

The stock of her rifle hit the zombie square in the face. It and Mio fell backward to the ground, but it was just dazed enough that Mio scrambled free, sobbing the whole way.

Ritsu brought her rifle up, but she was just a little too slow. The giggling zombie was on its feet again, and it leapt for her …

She staggered, feeling strong thighs wrapping around her head, and sharp heels digging into her sides. Heat burned into the back of her head, and she felt sharp pain as her bandages were ripped away. She grabbed helplessly at the zombie's claws, trying to push them away, but it kicked her sides and batted her hands away.

_Crack!_

Suddenly, the zombie fell back, pulling Ritsu down with it. Then she was looking up into the sky, and a moment later, she was looking into Mugi's eyes.

"Ricchan!" She said. "I … I did it! I got him!"

Ritsu sat up with a start, exhaling sharply when she saw Mio with Yui.

"T-thanks, Mugi," she said, turning back to Mugi.

Zombies dropped before them as Yui shot at them. Mugi screamed in surprise, but Ritsu already had a revolver out. She fired at the oncoming zombies, even though the pain in her head was nauseatingly bad now.

"Help … me up," she gasped to Mugi.

"R-right," Mugi replied, her strong arms sliding around Ritsu, hauling her up. Ritsu found her footing, and then lost it again, sagging against Mugi.

"Ricchan!"

"I'm good … sorry … slipped," Ritsu said. She stayed on her feet this time, and she hunched down, grabbing her knees, gulping down air. It was a respite, and she knew that they never lasted very long.

Suddenly, the floodlights went out, _all_ of them, plunging them into sooty twilight.

"The generator!" Mugi said.

"They'll still come pick us up ... right?" Mio said, her eyes darting back and forth. Blood trickled down the side of her face as she and Yui joined them.

"I-If they don't think that we let it go out ... because ... because the zombies got us," Yui said. She was holding her rifle in one hand, and her guitar bag in the other by a single, broken, strap.

_Oh goddamnit,_ Ritsu thought. _What are we gonna do?_ The sudden terror cleared her head.

She looked toward where she knew the ladder down to the generator was ... it was clear of zombies ... but who knew how much longer that would last. Whoever went down to restart the generator … wasn't gonna come back.

"I see," she whispered.

"Cover me," she screamed, sprinting into action. She heard gasps of protest, but she ignored them. She felt Mugi grabbing at her shirt, but she wrenched herself free. Each footfall brought a pulsation of pain through her skull.

"You bastards ... might've killed me," Ritsu said, gritting her teeth. There was suddenly more screaming. The next wave of the horde had arrived.

_Bam! Bam! Bam!_

A zombie trying to climb the ladder fell off, with fresh bullet-holes in its face. Ritsu threw herself over the ladder, scrambling partway, and then jumping off. She hit _hard,_ rolling in the sharp gravel.

As she pushed herself to her knees, she saw two of everything, and the world spun. Zombies appeared over the far edge, screaming and howling, clawing their way toward her.

She emptied her revolver at them, and then she grabbed at her rifle.

"But you're not ... getting _them_," she snarled, firing at the zombies while stumbling toward the generator. She dove down behind it, firing at several other zombies, trying to fight through the pain inside her head. She pulled herself up the generator. From somewhere above her, she could hear more gunfire.

"Stay where you are," she screamed, having no idea if they could hear her. "C'mon, you goddamned start button … where are you?"

She didn't dare go for her flashlight, so she had to do it by memory.

"Oh come on!" She said. It all looked alien to her.

Something screamed nearby, and she turned back, just barely avoiding the pounce. The zombie rolled into a crouch, baring its teeth at her.

_Crack! Crack!_

The zombie toppled backward, and Ritsu turned her attention back to the generator.

"C'mon, c'mon," she said. She heard more scrambling onto the rooftop. More grunting, and more screaming.

"There!" Ritsu said, spying the button. "Come to mama," she said, stabbing at it.

The generator whined and chugged as Ritsu held that button in, and then roared to life. Behind her, the lights of the spotlights lit up the rooftop ... and the zombies closing in on her. There were an awful lot of them.

"Well, my friends," she said, raising her rifle, "looks like this is it."

Ritsu screamed, firing. Zombies staggered and fell, but more came to take their place. She could hear their screams; she could hear spent brass ringing off the generator. She could feel the sting of hot metal as some of it bounced back at her.

She fired, again, and again, into the oncoming swarm. Somehow, she managed to reload her rifle and keep shooting ... but she couldn't get away from the generator. That ladder might as well have been ten miles away, for all the good it'd do her.

"Die!" She screamed. "Die! Die! Die!"

Ashen faces were lit up by the muzzle blast of her rifle. She could smell them now, their putrid breath breathing down on her. And then, she ran out of time.

"Get back! Get back!" She swung her rifle at them, shoving some back, knocking others to the side. She managed to fire again, but there were to many of them. Too many grabbing, flailing hands. Her back was to the generator, and she swung wildly with her rifle, even though her arms were starting to burn with the effort.

"No!" Ritsu screamed, as a zombie managed to grab hold of her rifle, pulling at it, pulling her off-balance. She stumbled ... into the horde.

She flailed with her arms and fists, trying to hold them off, but she couldn't fight them all ...

She was down ... feet stomped and kicked at her. It was all she could do to protect her head, and kick back with her legs. With each kick, she felt solid flesh. With each kick, she felt sharp claws raking her calves. Something grabbed her foot, and it was just long enough for another zombie to give a hard kick to her side. Instinctively, she curled into a ball, and then she was defenseless.

_Mio! Mugi! Yui! You guys ... gonna miss me!_

There was so much screaming. So much kicking. So much pain ... so much pain ...

_Wham!_

* * *

><p>The crash she heard sounded wooden ... almost melodious.<p>

"Ricchan!"

_Wham! Crack! Crack!_

_Crash!_

"Oh God," Ritsu moaned, but zombies weren't kicking her anymore.

"Ricchan!" That was Yui's scream.

_Wham!_

Ritsu opened her eyes, and found she was looking up at Yui. Zombies were coming at her, but she held Gitah with a white-knuckled grip, swinging wildly.

_Crack!_

A zombie's skull met Yui's guitar flat side on. The arc of blood glittered in the light.

_Wham!_

Another zombie tumbled away, landing lifelessly in front of Ritsu.

_Crash!_

Ritsu screamed, as gravel was thrown in her face by the ruined body of Yui's guitar crashing next to her. She managed to glance up at Yui ... just in time to see her diving for Ritsu's rifle.

_Stupid ... stupid ... stupid_, she thought. _I'm ... I'm finished ... why ..._

"Ritsu!"

"Ritsu!"

_That was Mugi! And ... and ... M-Mio?_

She heard a commotion at her side, and the renewed thunder of rifle fire. Someone was shaking her.

"Ritsu! Ritsu!"

She opened her eyes, to see Mio shaking her.

"M-Mio ... why ... "

"Baka Ritsu! Get up! Get up now!" Mio screeched at her, pulling at her.

Ritsu tried, but nothing wanted to work right.

"Mugi!"

"Yui-chan! Cover us!"

Ritsu felt herself being bodily hauled up. Her legs refused to support her weight, but Mugi took one of her arms, and Mio took the other.

"I-I'm out!" Yui said.

"Take mine," Mugi replied, tossing her rifle at Yui.

"Got it, Mugi-chan!"

"Let's go ... let's go ... let's go," Mio said, her voice urgent.

Ritsu found her feet, somehow managing to stumble with them.

"Why'd ... come back?" She managed to say.

"Baka Ritsu," Mio replied, her voice thick. "Baka, _**baka**_, Ritsu! It's all of us together."

"Or none of us at all," Mugi said in Ritsu's other ear.

There was a roar overhead. The roar of a helicopter engine ... and now they weren't where they were supposed to be.

"No time ... I'm sorry Ricchan," Mugi said, pulling Ritsu free from Mio, and somehow throwing her around her shoulders. Ritsu screamed, feeling broken ribs shift. She screamed as she was jolted by Mugi's movements.

"Going up," Yui said, somewhere ahead.

"Mio's got you, Yui-chan," Mugi replied.

_Crack! Crack-crack-crack!_

Ritsu saw more limbs and glowing yellow eyes behind them. Zombies pouring onto the rooftop. Suddenly, they were buffeted by ferocious winds, and blinded by a harsh blue-white light as the helicopter roared directly overhead.

"Ricchan, can you get up the ladder," Mugi said, urgently.

"Will try," Ritsu replied.

"Okay, going down," Mugi said. Ritsu felt herself being swung off Mugi's shoulders. Her feet hit the gravel, and somehow, her legs bore her weight again.

"Go! Go! Go!" Mugi said. "Mio-chan and I will be right behind you."

"Okay," Ritsu replied, grabbing the rungs of the ladder, forcing her arms to work to pull her up. Her friends weren't going to let her sacrifice herself ... and now she was damned if she was gonna get them all killed because she couldn't make it up a goddamned ladder.

She screamed as her legs wobbled and her arms felt like spaghetti.

"One more! One more!"

She could just about see the top, but her legs revolted.

"I gotcha, Ricchan!"

Strong arms grabbed her hands, hauling her up. She screamed in both agony and with effort, pushed herself up those last few rungs, and landed atop Yui.

"H-hi, Ricchan," Yui said.

"Hey," Ritsu managed. Behind them, Mugi and Mio scrambled up the ladder. She felt them take her arms.

"W-we don't have time for ... you to goof around," Mio said.

"The helicopter's over there," Mugi said.

Ritsu let herself be helped to her feet, and then they all faced the helicopter, staring into the blinding spotlight.

"L-let's ... go," she said. They staggered forward. But something was wrong. There was sudden shouting. Men were shouting at her, and she couldn't understand a word they were saying.

"E-English," Mio squeaked.

"Why," Ritsu said.

"T-they don't know we're not zombies!"

"M-Mugi-chan, tell them!" Yui said.

Mugi screamed something in English that Ritsu couldn't catch. There was more shouting ahead of them. Behind them, Ritsu could hear the scratching and scrambling of the zombies coming behind them.

"Survivors," a voice yelled over a megaphone. It was a man's voice, and the Japanese was badly accented. "Throw weapons!"

"They want us to put our weapons down," Mugi said.

"Do it," Mio replied, throwing her rifle to the side. Yui dropped hers after a moment.

There was more shouting.

"Survivors! Get to the chopper!"

The helicopter's spotlight was off, and Ritsu saw herself facing a line of soldiers with rifles leveled at her. Strangely, she felt no panic. She felt the warmth of Mugi on one side, and the warmth of Mio on the other. And just between her and the soldiers, stood Yui.

"Hurry! Get to the chopper!"

"Okay," Ritsu said. "Okay ... guys, _let's go!"_

They stumbled forward, all four of them. The world bobbled and weaved, and Ritsu's head really started to spin. The helicopter got closer, and closer. To either side, she saw the bright flashes of rifle fire. She felt the buffeting of muzzle blasts.

She felt herself start to stumble harder, but Mio's grip on her tightened. She blinked, but the world looked fuzzier. The spinning was worse, as was the pain. She felt lighter on her feet, as Mugi grabbed her too.

The helicopter was even closer, but everything was fuzzy. She was moving, though her legs weren't working. Suddenly, she found herself staring up at an orange sky as Yui grabbed hold of her legs. The downdraft of the helicopter's rotor blasted her face, buffeting her.

Suddenly, there were a whole lot of arms around her. A light was shined into her face, and people were shouting. Everyone sounded so concerned, and it was dark again. Ritsu felt herself being set down onto a hard metal surface. The faces of her friends appeared around her, wearing identical expressions of panic.

The world tilted, and started to push up against her. Her eyes moved back and forth ... good ... they were all there. They'd made it to the helicopter ... and they were all going to get away.

Ritsu smiled through her pain, and through the closing darkness. She could relax now...

They were free.

That was the thought she had, as the darkness enveloped her, pulling her away from the pain, and everything else.

They were free.

* * *

><p><strong>In Memory Of:<strong>

Sawako Yamanaka  
>Satoshi Tainaka<br>Nao Okuda  
>Sumire Saito<br>Nodoka Manabe  
>Jun Suzuki<br>Azusa Nakano  
>Ui Hirasawa<br>Gitah

**Survivors**

Ritsu Tainaka as Herself  
>Mio Akiyama as Herself<br>Tsumugi Kotobuki as Herself  
>Yui Hirasawa as Herself<p>

**Author's Notes**

- This is the finale of _Left 4 Moe_.  
>- Yes, Yui did sacrifice her guitar to save Ritsu.<br>- The 'In Memory Of' list covers all major (okay, Satoshi doesn't really count) characters in the manga + anime continuity who died in this story. Even though Nao got no lines in this story, and Jun got part of a single scene.  
>- Norimi, and the girls of OnNaGumi are counted as NPCs (as were the original characters,) so they won't be credited as 'Survivors.'<br>- Everyone else … totally eaten by zombies.  
>- Sorry.<br>- There _will_ be an epilogue after this.  
>- There won't be any zombies in it.<p>

1,978 zombies were harmed in the making of this film.


	25. Epilogue

**Living Dead****:**  
><em>Sometimes, you can do both.<em>

_They were free ..._

_The darkness faded away, and it was slowly replaced by light. A light that started as a tiny little point, that swelled to fill her whole being._

_Ritsu was surrounded by bright, white, light. She was warm, she was comfortable, and she was safe. She'd done it ... she'd gotten those she cared about most rescued. She could relax now, and just drift into the light ..._

* * *

><p>Ritsu opened her eyes, blinking at the bright morning sun. She was propped up in her bed. It was large and comfortable ... having been built to American proportions.<p>

_Knock, knock, knock!_

The door swung open, and three people stepped into her room. A tall, dark man in pixellated green camoflage wearing a respirator and a holstered gun entered first, standing in one corner. And then a very tall blonde woman, and a dark-haired woman of normal height entered after him.

"Good morning, Ritsu. I hope that you are well in being, and full of energy," the tall woman said in slow, thickly-accented, Japanese.

"_Futsuu,_" Ritsu replied. "_Anata wa dou desu ka?_"

The tall woman looked perplexed, but the woman next to her giggled. She turned to the tall woman and said something to her, before looking back at Ritsu.

"Now, now, Rii-chan," the woman, an interpreter named Aya, said. "You musn't be rude to Doctor McKenna. She's still practicing her Japanese."

"Ah!" Ritsu replied. "_Warukatta!_" She then looked up at the doctor. "_Makoto ni moushiwake gozaimasen!_"

Aya immediately put her hand to her mouth, trying her hardest not to laugh.

"I will not ask you to ... fall upon your sword, Ritsu," Doctor McKenna replied, before she laughed. Ritsu was amazed that such a large woman could have such a girlish laugh. "I do watch ... samurai movies."

"Ah," Ritsu said. "_Sumimasen ... Boku no eigo da'me desu._ I will try ... _ganbarimasu._"

"No need, silly," Aya said. "That's why I'm here, Rii-chan."

"I know," Ritsu replied. "But ... but, I was told to ... exercise my brain."

Doctor McKenna seemed to light up at the word 'brain.'

"Head cloth," she said. "May I please see inside?"

"_Hai_," Ritsu replied. She knew what Doctor McKenna wanted. She turned to Aya. "Can I please have a mirror?"

Aya frowned at her. She'd been the second or third person Ritsu saw after the surgery.

"It's fine, I wanna see," Ritsu said. Aya took the mirror off the table, holding it up for Ritsu.

"Can you see okay?"

Ritsu nodded, and Aya said something to Doctor McKenna.

"Hold still," the tall woman said, carefully undoing Ritsu's bandana. Ritsu bit her lip, as her forehead glinted in the light. Her hair was short and feathery, and she could make out the scars from where the jockey attacked her. As Doctor McKenna gently turned Ritsu's head, Ritsu saw her newest scar, a small, straight line.

"You are ... healing well," Doctor McKenna said. The last few ... Ritsu couldn't even remember ... were a blur. There were concerned doctors saying things like _subdural hematoma_, _skull fracture_, and _lucky to be alive._ And then there was a surgery, which she didn't remember, and a whole bunch of things after that, which she didn't remember either.

"_Domo_," Ritsu said.

Doctor McKenna smiled and turned to Aya, saying some things in English.

"Rii-chan," Aya said, turning back to Ritsu. "Doctor McKenna would like to ask you some questions. I mean, if you're feeling up to it?"

"Sure," Ritsu said, putting her bandana back on, and then leaning back, clasping her hands behind her head.

"_Nandemo shitsumon sureba ii_," she added. It was a thing that was a part of her world now. Americans asking her questions. Americans asking her to do things.

"Ritsu," Doctor McKenna said. "Did you know that you are infected?"

"_Hai_," Ritsu replied. That was a shock ... all of them, herself, Mio, Mugi, and Yui, were what were called _Carriers_. The tall American doctor, and the petite Japanese translator too. The only one in the room that she knew wasn't a carrier of the Green Flu was the American Marine in his respirator.

"Do you also know that you cannot go back to Japan?"

Ritsu closed her eyes for a moment.

"_H-Hai_," she replied. As she understood it, Americans picked them up, so they became the Americans' problem. Someday, maybe, they'd be allowed back. But that day was a long way off.

"Okay," Doctor McKenna said.

"The doctor that was here yesterday," Aya said, translating as Doctor McKenna spoke, "he showed you several cards. Do you remember what was on them?"

Ritsu frowned, trying to think back. It was hard to visualize the cards, and she made a frustrated noise.

Way back, she'd been told to imagine her mind as a cabinet full of folders. She'd then been told that, following the injury to her brain, and the surgery, that it'd be like someone had upended the cabinet, and then went out of their way to mix up all the folders. It would take time for her brain to get back what had been lost.

"_Shirimasen_," she said, exhaling. "_Moushiwake arimasen_."

"That's not true, Ritsu. It will take time," Doctor McKenna replied, smiling. She then wrote something on the clipboard she carried with her.

"May I ask question, _kudasai_?" Ritsu said, mentally cursing her poor English.

"Sure," Doctor McKenna replied. "We are here for you, Ritsu."

"_Domo_," Ritsu said, trying a smile. "When do I see friends?"

"Soon," Doctor McKenna replied. "This would be good opportunity to tell me about them."

_Where to begin,_ Ritsu thought. Her memories of the month they spent in zombie hell were full of holes. But she remembered one thing _very_ clearly. Seeing Yui standing over her, with a shattered Les Paul in her hands. _Three_ things, actually. That Mio and Mugi came back for her, and that they _all_ carried her to that helicopter.

"We were once a band," she replied, looking to Aya. She suddenly didn't feel like talking like a five year old to the American. "Mio-chan played bass ... and she sang. Mugi played keyboard and opened lots of doors for us ... that we wouldn't have had otherwise. Yui was our backup singer and ... lead guitarist. Some say she's a secret genius. I was the drummer.

"There were others, who we lost along the way ... but I guess that's true for everybody now."

Ritsu stared straight ahead.

"It was so hard," she said. "Fighting the zombies ... I ... think we all took turns tempting fate. But ... no matter ... no matter what, it was ... was always the four of us. We ... got through it together ... we ... we are _family_."

Doctor McKenna wrote some things on her clipboard, and then said some things to Aya.

"Rii-chan," Aya said. "Doctor McKenna tells me that you four created quite a buzz among the Marines that picked you up. They'd been asked by the JSDF to pick up four Japanese Survivors. They _weren't_ expecting four ragged _schoolgirls _with guns. You're probably the four best-known Survivors on Okinawa right now."

"Heh," Ritsu replied. "A better reason for a fan-club than Mio-chan's panties, I guess ... do _not_ translate ... oh geez," she said, seeing the American woman starting to blush.

"So funny, Ritsu," Doctor McKenna said. "So, what will you do now?"

Ritsu thought about that one, and felt her body settle into the bed. Thinking took a lot more energy than it used to. That too, was normal, the doctors said.

"I don't know," she replied. "Mio-chan can't sing anymore," she added, sighing. She remembered when Mio came to visit, some time after the surgery. Her voice was still raspy and weak.

"Mugi hasn't heard anything from her family," she continued. "But she's ... staying with us anyway." That meant she had no money.

"Yui _can_ sing ... but I dunno if she can play any guitar but Gitah." Never mind that the _rest_ of their instruments were still in zombie-infested Japan.

"And me," she added, reaching for the glass of water at the side of her bed. She started to pick it up, but before she could get it off the tray, it slipped from her grasp.

_Crash!_

Ritsu waved her hand helplessly. There was physical therapy to go along with everything else ... it wasn't something Ritsu was looking forward to.

"Gonna be ... long time before I can play ... the drums again. So, I dunno what ... we're gonna do."

"That's an honest answer," Doctor McKenna said. "I appreciate that. Thank you very much, Ritsu."

Ritsu nodded, closing her eyes.

"We think you've had enough for the morning, Rii-chan," Aya said. "You just get your rest now. Gonna have a busy afternoon!"

* * *

><p><em>Tap, tap, SMACK, tap. <em>

_Tap, tap, SMACK, tap. _

_Tap, tap, SMACK, tap. _

Ritsu tapped on her lunch tray, feeling more pleased with herself than she'd been in a while.

_Tap, tap, SMACK, tap. _

It wasn't much. It was the basic 4/4 time signature beat she'd first learned when she was a kid beating on anything that'd annoy her mother. Only it was something that evaded the grasp of post-surgery Ritsu for a frustratingly long time.

She could do it now. Her foot even twitched at the right time! Still, it'd be a while before she'd dare try it with sticks. There was _still_ a wet spot on the carpet to remind her of her newfound clumsiness.

_Knock, knock, knock!_

Ritsu blushed, glancing at her empty plates stacked carelessly on one side of her bed.

"Just a moment please?" She said. Her English wasn't as good as Mugi's, so she could only hope that they understood her. She put the tray aside, trying to get everything back onto it.

_Crash!_

That didn't work out so well.

"The hell with this," she said, feeling her cheeks burn. "C-come back later?"

"Are you sure, Rii ... tsu-san?" That was Aya, and the sudden honorific set Ritsu's senses tingling. "There are some important visitors here for you."

That made it even worse!

"I-It's kindof ... a mess in here right now!"

There was a noise behind the door, and it almost sounded like laughter.

"I'm sorry, Ritsu-san," Aya said, after a moment. "It's just that I'm sure they'll understand."

"Ugh, fine," Ritsu said, still blushing. "Come in."

The door swung open and Aya stepped in, putting her hand to her mouth when she saw what'd happened to the remains of Ritsu's lunch. Behind her, not one, but _two_ Marines entered the room. Neither of them were wearing respirators.

"I-I didn't know it was that bad, I'm sorry, Rii-chan," Aya said, hurrying over to Ritsu's bedside. The petite woman quickly piled the plates onto the lunch tray, and set it aside.

"Just a ... little accident," Ritsu replied. "Who ... are these ... guests?" She mentally kicked herself. The word-finding was also an after-effect of her injury and surgery.

Aya smiled. "I think you should see for yourself." The interpreter stood up.

"Girls, you can come in now!"

A tall girl with long black hair and gray eyes stepped into the room. Her expression, and Ritsu's, became identical expressions of joy.

"Mio!"

"Ritsu!"

"Mio-chan!"

"Ritsuuu!"

"Mio-chaaaaan!"

"Ritsu!" Mio said. She was at Ritsu's side in an instant. "I ... you ... we ... y-you're looking better than I expected!"

"Hey, it's _me,_" Ritsu replied. "How could you ... expect any different ... _ow!_"

The Marines lunged, but a look from Ritsu and Aya stopped them.

"Hey now, Mio," Ritsu said. "The Americans paid ... good money to fix my head."

Mio blushed, hard, while looking at her hand.

"I-I'm sorry!"

"Hey ... it's okay ... I've actually missed _that,_" Ritsu replied. A tall blonde was next to enter the room. There was a bit of a blush on her face, and Ritsu _knew_ she'd just seen everything that happened.

"Hiya Mugi," she said, waving her over. "It's been a long time!"

"It has, Ricchan," Mugi replied, waving. "We've been worried about you."

"Hiya, Ricchan," a third voice called out. Ritsu looked up, and saw a girl with brown hair, tied back into a short ponytail with a yellow ribbon.

"U ... Yui!" Ritsu said, catching herself just in time. "Yui!"

Yui shuffled inside, glancing at the Marines.

"Ooh! Tall!"

Ritsu grinned, her momentary sense of worry dissipating. Yui and Mugi also came over to Ritsu's bedside. Yui wore a top with cutoff sleeves, and Ritsu's eyebrow went up.

"Yui," she said, frowning. "What's that on your arm?"

"A tattoo, Ricchan," Yui replied. "Some Americans suggested it to me!"

"I ... okay," Ritsu smiled. It was a pained smile, because it was a tattoo of a teacup and a pair of cat ears with the words "Azu-nyan ... Gone But Never Forgotten" written around them. She glanced at Mugi, and saw that her hair was up in a bun, but it was a small bun. She'd clearly had it cut.

"Man," she said. "You all look ... different. Well ... excepting Mio-chan here."

"I'm trying new styles too, Ritsu," Mio replied.

"Well ... like what?"

"I ... um ... well," Mio said.

"Mio-chan's totally lying," Yui said. "Mio-chan is still Mio-chan!"

"Y-you don't have to be so blunt about it!"

"God," Ritsu said, feeling her eyes start to water. "I've really missed ... you guys. M-man, is it ... hot in here, or what?"

"We've missed you too, Ricchan," Mugi said. "W-we were worried th-that ... you'd never come back."

"They can't ... keep me here forever," Ritsu replied, as the others sat on her bed, surrounding her. Mio sat closest of all, practically leaning against Ritsu. Ritsu smiled, leaning back against Mio.

She opened her eyes, still feeling the warmth of her friends ... her family flowing into her. Across from them, stood the two American Marines, the American doctor, and their translator. Behind them, was the machinery of an American military base.

Ritsu laughed, as she considered what her friends had to offer their new hosts.

A singer, who couldn't sing.

A guitarist, who couldn't play the guitar.

An heiress, who had no money.

A drummer, who couldn't play the drums.

That was Houkago Tea Time ... strangers in a strange land. A strange land that was now their home, for they could never go back. A strange land where the only way forward ... was to begin anew.

"We're going to be just fine," she said, trying to exude confidence she didn't yet feel. Her hand stole into Mio's, and Mio squeezed her hand tightly enough to hurt. They exchanged glances with Mugi and Yui, who nodded and smiled. Together, they all looked ahead, beyond their American hosts, and beyond Ritsu's hospital room. The zombies were behind them. What lay ahead of them ... that was another story entirely ...

* * *

><p><span><strong>Author's Notes<strong>**:**  
>- This is the end of <em>Left 4 Moe<em>! As you can see, everybody is fine (except for everyone who died.)  
>- Okay, they're not fine. They're alive, certainly ... but <em>fine<em> might be a strong word to use to describe them.  
>- Unless you actually <em><strong>prefer<strong>_ the way the story ended as of the finale chapter, in which case, that was the ending and this is a "Happy ending" bonus.  
>- If you've made it all the way to the end of this story, thank you very much for reading!<br>- The untranslated Japanese is intentional. This is to emphasize the "Stranger in a strange land" thing the girls have going now.  
>- Okay, fine. Ritsu is taking the piss a bit with her American doctor. The doctor would've used the word "ogenki" (i.e. are you in high spirits) in asking how Ritsu was doing; which is what you're usually supposed to do. If you are being polite and formal, the usual way to reply would be "Genki desu." (i.e. yes, I am in high spirits and full of energy.) Ritsu replies with a word that translates, roughly, as "normal." She then apologizes in the most ridiculously formal way possible.<br>- That's all the Japanese translation you're getting. There's no joke anywhere in the rest of Ritsu's Japanese.  
>- To put the whole "tall American" thing into perspective: Doctor McKenna isn't any taller than about 5'-7", the same height that Yui's voice actress, Aki Toyosaki is (which is a couple inches higher than the average for a white American woman.) Ritsu is 5'-0" and change, which makes her shorter than the average height of a Japanese woman, which is 5'-2".<br>- It was my intention, right from the start of the story, for them to end up in the American military base on Okinawa. I'd also intended, from the start, for the story to be a deconstruction of _Yui. _Yui was supposed to be right there when Nodoka and Ui died. She was going to be the one forced to leave Azusa behind ... and she was going to die at the end.  
>- Only Ritsu stole the show, so <em>Left 4 Moe<em> instead became a story about "How much is Ritsu willing to go through for her friends."  
>- I will likely go back and revise the first few chapters again for pacing, at some point.<br>- My next _K-ON!_ project: A college-era AU where the girls must get the band back together!  
>- Thanks for reading! Leave reviews!<p> 


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